The prince was searching the entire city for the girl who lost a glass slipper. My stepsister stole my shoe, claiming she was the one who danced with the prince last night. She didn’t know that the prince had killed someone that night. And I was the only witness. “Sister, please, give me back my shoe.” I clung to Victoria’s leg, begging desperately. Victoria grabbed my hair and spat in my face viciously. “Pfft, you filthy wretch! How dare you covet His Royal Highness? Go back to the attic where you belong, that’s your rightful place.” Madame Tremaine and Isabelle each grabbed one of my arms, pushing me towards the attic. I struggled fiercely, trying to lunge for the glass slipper. “You can’t take it out! You really can’t!” A few days ago, I suddenly found myself in a twisted version of the fairy tale, becoming Cinderella. At first, I thought, how bad could a fairy tale world be? Until I saw the prince slice open the Chancellor’s belly with his sword. After the murder, he stood calmly, using his long blade to lift up a section of the Chancellor’s intestines, admiring it in the moonlight. “Ah, how beautiful.” The bright red intestines dripped blood, and the prince’s eyes gleamed with an eerie, bloodthirsty light. I hid in the bushes, tightly covering my mouth, my whole body shaking uncontrollably with fear. I must have been shaking too hard because the prince suddenly turned his head in my direction, his gaze sharp and piercing like a hawk’s. “Who’s there? Come out!” I gasped, picked up my skirts, and ran. The prince chased after me, sword in hand. The palace was magnificent, with expensive crystal chandeliers hanging from the pillars on both sides, illuminating everything clearly. The prince laughed softly behind me. “Oh, it’s the beautiful girl who danced with me tonight—” His tone was sinister. I turned my head to look; the prince’s face was twisted with malice, his long sword still dripping blood, leaving a trail behind him. I was terrified, running faster than I ever had before. But the white jade steps at the palace gate were too long, and no matter how careful I was, I still lost one glass slipper. I knew he wouldn’t let me go. Sure enough, the next day, news of the Chancellor’s death spread throughout the country. The king was furious and ordered the guards to catch the real culprit. Along with the obituary, another piece of news spread across the country: the prince was looking for love. The prince had fallen in love at first sight with a beautiful girl at the ball. He announced that whoever could wear the glass slipper left behind by the girl would be the next princess. All the women in the city went crazy. Victoria and Isabelle started dressing up early in the morning, soaking their feet in milk, praying for this lucky glory to fall upon them. It wasn’t until Victoria came to my room to look for jewelry that she accidentally found the other glass slipper.

“You filthy wretch, how dare you sneak off to the ball behind our backs! If you’re so desperate for a man, we’ll marry you off to a stable boy tomorrow!” Madame Tremaine grabbed my hair and slapped me hard across the face several times. Victoria clutched the glass slipper to her chest and kicked me hard in the stomach. The attic door opened, and I fell down. Victoria giggled. “Thinking you could be a princess? You should look in a mirror first. “Stay here like a good girl. If you make a sound, you’re dead.” With a loud bang, the attic door was locked. I pounded on the door above my head, my face filled with despair. This is bad. If they take out this shoe, the prince will surely know I’m here. He’ll kill me! Soon, I heard Madame Tremaine’s fawning voice from above. “Oh my, Lord Roderick, why have you come personally— “No need to try it on, this shoe belongs to our Victoria. Victoria, show the other shoe to Lord Roderick.” Lord Roderick’s face was stern as he held a fine velvet cushion with a sparkling glass slipper on top. “Everyone must try it on. Oh—indeed, they make a pair. Noble lady, please come with me to the palace so the prince can see for himself.” The other maids and guards all offered their congratulations. Victoria excitedly hugged Isabelle and spun around. Soon, a flurry of footsteps gradually faded away, and silence fell once again overhead. I slumped to the ground, my face filled with despair. My sister’s foot was bigger than mine. Once they entered the palace and the prince discovered she couldn’t wear the shoe, he would soon come to my house. I had to escape before that happened. But the attic door was locked, and there wasn’t even a window. I had no way to escape. There were many tools in the attic. I found a hammer and started chipping away at the wall. After an hour, I had only managed to scrape off a thin layer of plaster. Covered in sweat, I angrily smashed the hammer against the wall a couple of times before throwing it to the ground. A mouse in the corner was startled and scurried to the other side, squeaking. Looking at that mouse, my eyes lit up as an idea suddenly came to me.

In my impression, Cinderella was always mistreated by her stepmother and forced to do chores. Whenever the housework became too overwhelming, she would start singing, and then many birds and small animals would come out to help her. This was a special ability of Disney princesses. Now that I had become Cinderella, shouldn’t I have this ability too? I cleared my throat. “Ooooh ooooh ooooh~ Aaaah aaaah~” No response. Maybe I was doing it wrong. I continued singing. “Eeee eeee eeee~ Oooo oooo~” I sang repeatedly for half an hour, until my throat was dry, but I didn’t give up. Finally, that mouse crept out from the corner again. I was delighted and crouched down to look at it. “Are you here to help me?” The mouse squeaked, its limbs twitching, and fell to the ground. Me: “…” I sat on the ground hugging my knees. Just as I was at a loss, I heard chaotic footsteps from above and Madame Tremaine’s shrill voice. “Oh my, Prince Henry, you’ve come personally! Heavens!” I looked up through the cracks in the wooden floor. The prince still carried that long sword from last night. He smiled and gestured for his attendant to press Victoria onto a chair. “Beautiful Lady Victoria, is this pair of glass slippers yours?” Victoria’s face turned red, and she nodded shyly. The attendant tried to put the shoe on Victoria’s foot, but her foot was too wide and wouldn’t fit no matter how they tried. Victoria became anxious. “I… I’m a bit swollen today.” “Is that so? But you must wear the shoe to become my princess.” The prince’s expression was cold. Hearing this, Victoria desperately tried to squeeze her foot into the shoe, her instep turning red from the effort. The prince laughed coldly and raised his sword. “Let me help you—” The prince’s blade fell, cutting off half of Victoria’s foot. She screamed and rolled on the ground, clutching her leg.

Everyone was terrified, but the prince acted as if nothing had happened and calmly turned to look at Isabelle. “Beautiful lady, is this pair of shoes yours?” Isabelle’s face was pale, but unable to suppress her desire to become a princess, she still nodded. This time, the prince cut off her heel. Blood sprayed everywhere, dripping through the cracks in the wooden floor. I was terrified, looking around frantically but finding nowhere to hide. Madame Tremaine screamed and went to embrace her two daughters. The prince put his sword to her throat. “Are there any other daughters in your house?” Madame Tremaine’s lips trembled. “No, no more…” Despite their severe injuries, both sisters gritted their teeth and insisted there was no one else in the house. The resolve of the mother and daughters to prevent me from becoming princess was unexpectedly strong. Thank you all. “What about young maids? None of those either?” Madame Tremaine continued shaking her head. The prince laughed and sat down in a chair, using a clean white cloth to wipe his long sword. “Well, isn’t that interesting!” The prince waved his hand, and his attendants scattered to search the house. Soon, Lord Roderick ran to the prince’s side. “Your Highness, the attic door is locked.” The prince looked at Madame Tremaine. “This is your last chance to live. Open the door.” The prince’s eyes were sharp, his tense jawline showing that his patience had reached its limit. Seeing Madame Tremaine standing still, Lord Roderick drew his sword. “Kill her. You all, go break down the door.” Only then did Madame Tremaine react, screaming and crawling towards the attic door. “I’ll open it, I’ll open it, don’t kill me—” The sound of keys and chains clashing rang out, and the attic door was forcefully pulled open. A beam of light shone diagonally into the attic. In the dusty beam of light, the prince stood before me with a wicked smile. “Ha, found you.”

The next moment, the smile froze on the prince’s face. My face was covered in ash, my eyes were crossed, and I asked him with a toothy grin: “Who ya lookin’ for, mister?” Prince: “…” The prince took a big step back in disgust. “Who are you?” “I’m the maid, Cinderella. Ain’t you a handsome fella, hee hee hee—” I reached out to touch the prince’s face. He frowned and swatted my hand away. “Someone, bring her up.” Two guards jumped down into the attic and hauled me up. Thanks to my stepmother’s mistreatment, I was wearing old clothes patched all over, my hair was full of straw, and my face had several red handprints, which indeed matched the image of a maid. Lord Roderick looked disappointed. “Your Highness, this girl doesn’t seem to be the one.” I had just breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the prince coldly order: “Put the shoe on her.” Damn it, he still suspects me. Where’s the basic trust and respect between people? I was pressed into a chair by several guards. Lord Roderick knelt on one knee, holding up the glass slipper. As soon as he lifted my long skirt, Roderick turned his head away in disgust. My feet were pitch black, covered in ash, with my five toes spread wide like sea anemones. The prince laughed coldly. “What happened to your feet?” I smiled ingratiatingly: “My toes are deformed, they’ve been like this since I was little.” “Is that so?” The prince paused for a moment, then suddenly reached out and pinched my calf hard. “Ah—” I screamed in pain, and my toes instinctively curled up. The prince sneered. “Look, all better now.” “Thank you, you’re so kind.” I wanted to cry but had no tears left as I watched Roderick stuff my foot into the glass slipper.

Of course, it fit perfectly—not too big, not too small, not too long, not too short. The glass slipper on my pitch-black foot looked as if it had been custom-made for me. Roderick looked awkwardly at the prince. “Your Highness, are you sure this girl is the one you’re looking for?” The two sisters, who had been rolling on the ground clutching their legs, hurriedly crawled over and said in unison: “There must be a mistake, she didn’t go out last night!” Madame Tremaine nodded along. “Yes, this is my maid. I locked her in the attic last night; she couldn’t possibly have attended the ball. Your Highness, she absolutely cannot be the girl you’re looking for.” The prince stared at Madame Tremaine for a while, then curled his lips into a smile. “Liars must swallow a thousand needles. “Roderick, bring out that box of needles.” What kind of psychopath carries around boxes of needles? Watching Roderick stuff silver needles as long as a pinky finger into Madame Tremaine’s mouth, I was so scared my legs went weak. Amidst the wailing of the mother and daughters, I was escorted onto a carriage by the guards. As the wheels rolled, two guards watched me vigilantly from the side. I couldn’t find any chance to escape. Soon, the majestic palace appeared before my eyes. “My dear Henry, have you found your beloved girl?” Queen Eleanor came out to greet us enthusiastically. Seeing my ash-covered face, the queen paused, a flash of horror crossing her eyes. “This is—” “Someone, take her away to clean up.” The prince acted as if he hadn’t seen the queen and ordered the people beside him. The queen circled around the prince, asking if his journey had been tiring and chattering endlessly. The prince coldly waved her away, turned to Roderick, and instructed: “Clean her up and bring her to see me.”

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When my mother asked me to choose between inheriting the family’s $3 billion trust fund or receiving a monthly allowance of $1,500, I didn’t hesitate to choose the $1,500 allowance. I wasn’t panicking, but my rich roommate, Vanessa, was going crazy. In my previous life, after I chose to inherit the $3 billion, Vanessa stole my family’s trust fund and invited the entire class to Las Vegas. Overnight, the $3 billion was squandered, the family business went bankrupt, and my mother passed away from a heart attack in a fit of rage. When I confronted Vanessa about repaying the money, she hid behind my boyfriend, looking innocent and wronged. “Aria, you can’t blame me just because your family went bankrupt,” she said with a pitiful expression. My boyfriend, Lucas, even kicked me, breaking my ribs, and accused me, “Aria Johnson, it was clearly you who spent recklessly and got addicted to gambling. How dare you accuse Vanessa! Have you no shame?” When I was about to hire a private investigator, I was run over by a car and killed. My boyfriend and the entire class testified for Vanessa, insisting that I had intentionally thrown myself in front of the car because I couldn’t cope with the bankruptcy. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I chose to inherit the family fortune. 1 On the eve of graduation, someone in the class suggested going to Las Vegas to celebrate. “Everyone, let’s go to Las Vegas for a trip before graduation. I’ll cover all the expenses!” Vanessa’s words sent a shiver down my spine, the pain of broken bones still lingering. Suddenly, I realized I had been reborn! As soon as Vanessa finished speaking, the whole class cheered. “Vanessa, you’re awesome! As expected of a rich girl!” “Since we’re going to Vegas, we have to hit the casinos! I’ve only seen them in ads, never been there myself!” Vanessa smiled brightly, “Sure, let’s go to the casino then!” She then turned her gaze towards me and walked to my side. “Aria, I heard your family has VIP status at the casino. Can I borrow your VIP card? Let everyone enjoy the top-tier service.” My face turned cold. In my previous life, the tragedy of my family’s downfall all started with Vanessa borrowing my card. Back then, under the pretext of borrowing the card, she secretly took away the $3 billion trust fund bank card my mother had left for me at the Swiss Bank. When the court called my phone to inform me that the company had gone bankrupt, I realized that the money Vanessa had used to treat the entire class was my family’s trust fund. When I went to Vanessa’s house to ask her to repay the money, she hid behind my boyfriend, looking wronged. “Aria, you can’t blame me just because your family went bankrupt,” she said. My boyfriend, Lucas, even kicked me, breaking my ribs, and accused me, “Aria Johnson, it was clearly you who spent recklessly and got addicted to gambling. How dare you accuse Vanessa! Have you no shame?” When I was about to hire a private investigator, Vanessa directly ran me over with her car, repeatedly crushing me until I was dead. Afterwards, Lucas and the entire class testified for Vanessa, saying that I had become suicidal after the bankruptcy and intentionally threw myself in front of the car. My mother also passed away due to a heart attack triggered by extreme emotions. I mechanically reached into my bag, my fingertips touching the cold metal card, gripping it tightly. Seeing no reaction from me, Vanessa affectionately linked her arm with mine. “Aria, don’t be so stingy! Just let everyone use it, you won’t lose anything!” “Sorry, that card belongs to my mother. I can’t lend it out casually,” I said, stuffing the VIP card back into the deepest part of my bag. Hearing my words, Vanessa’s face showed displeasure. “You’re going to inherit your mother’s company anyway, why be so particular about it?” Lucas suddenly snatched my bag and emptied all my belongings onto the ground. My phone, tablet, and the camera I had just bought scattered all over the floor. Lucas immediately spotted the golden card and picked it up, handing it to Vanessa. “Here it is. Just take it and use it!” As Vanessa took it, she meaningfully caressed Lucas’s hand. “Lucas is so sensible. Aria, you should learn from your boyfriend.” Suddenly, her eyes lit up, fixating on the camera on the ground. “Oh, isn’t this the Hasselblad camera I love? I heard it’s sold out everywhere. I’ve been trying to get one but couldn’t!” Lucas, noticing Vanessa’s longing gaze, immediately bent down to pick up the camera and stuffed it into Vanessa’s arms. “You can have it too. Aria’s already bored with it anyway.” “Thank you, Lucas,” Vanessa’s face immediately bloomed with a smile. I frowned deeply and snatched back my camera and VIP card. “Sorry, I’m not lending either of these!” Lucas immediately showed an annoyed expression and grabbed me, scolding harshly, “Aria Johnson, when did you become so stingy?!” “Me, stingy?” I angrily slapped him across the face. 2 Slap! The crisp sound of the slap echoed in the classroom. Lucas staggered back two steps, holding his face. His wide eyes were full of disbelief. “Aria Johnson! You dare to hit me!” I shook my tingling hand and sneered, “This slap is to teach you about boundaries. What gives you the right to give away my things to others?!” The classroom immediately erupted into chaos. “Aria Johnson, are you crazy?” “It’s just a camera, what’s the big deal?” “You even hit your own boyfriend!” “Think you’re all that because you’re rich?” Vanessa hurriedly supported Lucas, then turned to glare at me angrily. “Aria, Lucas was just trying to do something nice for everyone. What’s with your attitude!” I bent down to pick up my scattered belongings, calmly putting the VIP card back into my pocket. “My attitude is very clear. I’m not lending it!” Lucas suddenly broke free from Vanessa’s hand and rushed over. “Aria Johnson! Give the card back to Vanessa right now and apologize to us, or we’re breaking up! I don’t want my girlfriend to be someone so ill-mannered!” “Give it back? It’s my thing to begin with, who am I giving it back to?” I dodged his outstretched hand, a smile curling at my lips. “If you want to break up, fine. It’ll save me the breakup fee!” This statement was like poking a hornet’s nest. Lucas trembled with anger. “You… you think I care about your money?” “Don’t care?” I raised an eyebrow, looking at the Cartier watch on his wrist. “Then give back the birthday gift I gave you last week?” His face instantly turned pale, unconsciously covering his watch. The expressions of the surrounding classmates immediately became strange. Emma Thompson, the class president, suddenly stood up angrily and slammed the table. “Aria Johnson, you’re too selfish! Vanessa is kindly inviting everyone to Las Vegas, can’t you consider the group for once?” “That’s right,” the study representative also chimed in, “You always act so agreeable, but when it really matters, you show your true colors.” I looked around at these familiar yet strange faces. In my previous life, it was they who unanimously testified in court that I had committed suicide by throwing myself in front of a car. “Vanessa is inviting you to Las Vegas, so go ask her. Why are you asking me?” Vanessa stepped forward again. “If we use your VIP card, won’t it raise your VIP status at the casino? It’s a win-win situation!” Lucas stood intimately beside Vanessa, the pain on his face seemingly vanished. “Vanessa, you’re so considerate. Aria is being so difficult, yet you’re still thinking of her.” “Since you all want to go to Las Vegas so badly…” I slowly pulled out a card from my wallet, “I’ll lend it to you then?” Vanessa’s eyes lit up, her hand reaching out to take it. I flipped my wrist, revealing the full card—it was my student meal card. “Are you mocking me?!” Vanessa’s face turned ashen. “Pot calling the kettle black,” I spun the meal card on my fingertip. “Aren’t you all trying to emotionally blackmail me?” Lucas suddenly grabbed the chalk box from the podium and threw it at me. “Aria Johnson! I must have been blind to be with you!” I dodged to the side, and the chalk scattered on the ground. 3 Seeing that I wouldn’t hand over the VIP card, Vanessa’s face instantly darkened. She gave a look to the surrounding classmates, and several girls immediately surrounded me. “Aria Johnson, don’t be so stubborn,” Vanessa lowered her voice, her eyes sinister. “It’s just a card. Do you have to make such a scene?” I let out a cold laugh, holding my bag in front of me. “What, planning to rob me if I won’t lend it?” “Rob? We’re just trying to make you ‘come to your senses’!” Emma suddenly pushed me from behind. I stumbled a few steps and crashed into a desk. My bag fell to the ground with a thud, its contents once again scattered all over the floor. Lucas stood by, a mocking smile on his lips. “Serves you right.” A few girls took the opportunity to kick away my textbooks. One of them deliberately stepped on my camera, and the device cracked with a snap. “What are you doing?!” I suddenly stood up, but my shoulder was forcefully pressed down. “Aria, don’t be so stingy,” Vanessa said with a fake smile, her hand reaching for my pocket. “We’re all classmates, what’s wrong with borrowing a card?” I slapped her hand away. “Get lost!” This action thoroughly angered Vanessa. Her face darkened, and she suddenly grabbed my chin with her nails. “You want to do this the hard way, huh?” The surrounding classmates, instead of stopping her, started to cheer: “Teach her a lesson! Think she’s all that because she’s rich?” “Stop pretending, it’s just a stupid card!” Seeing that I wouldn’t back down, Vanessa directly swung a slap towards my face. I dodged to the side, grabbed her wrist, and twisted it hard. “Ah!” She cried out in pain and staggered backward. Seeing this, Lucas shouted angrily, “Aria Johnson! How dare you fight back?!” He rushed forward to grab my hair, but I pushed him away and quickly took out my phone from my pocket, dialing 91

“Officer, I’m at XX University, 3rd floor of the teaching building. Someone is trying to rob me, deliberately damaging my property, and assaulting me.” Lucas’s face changed dramatically. He lunged forward. “Are you crazy?!” He snatched my phone and, without even looking, threw it out the window. Crack! The phone smashed onto the cement ground below, its screen shattering. The classroom fell silent for a second. But to their surprise, in less than ten minutes, the sound of police sirens echoed from below. When the police entered the classroom, Vanessa and Lucas’s faces instantly turned pale. “Who called the police?” the lead officer asked, looking around. “I did,” I raised my hand. “They tried to rob me and smashed my phone.” The officer looked at the scattered items on the ground, then at my broken camera and the smashed phone outside the window. His brow furrowed. “What happened here?” Vanessa immediately put on an innocent act. “Officer, it’s a misunderstanding! We were just playing around!” Lucas quickly chimed in, “Yeah, yeah, it was just a joke between classmates!” Other classmates also started to testify. I coldly scanned the room. These people were exactly the same as when they gave false testimony in my previous life. The officer let out a cold laugh. “Smashing phones and hitting people, you call that a joke?” Mr. Wilson, our counselor, rushed in upon hearing the news, his face ashen. “What’s going on?! How could you cause such a scene at school?!” The officer briefly explained the situation. After listening, Mr. Wilson glared at Vanessa. “You again!” Vanessa tried to argue, but the evidence was irrefutable. In the end, under the mediation of the police, Vanessa and Lucas had to compensate me for my phone and camera, and apologize publicly. As we left the office, Lucas lowered his voice, gritting his teeth, “Aria Johnson, you just wait and see!” Looking at his twisted expression, I suddenly smiled. “Sure, I’ll be waiting.” When I returned to the dorm to pack my things, I felt like someone had gone through my stuff, but nothing was missing, so I didn’t pay much attention. Just as I walked out of the school, a black Maybach stopped in front of me. “Miss Johnson, Madam has an important matter and needs you to return home immediately.” Butler James didn’t let me speak, directly pulling me into the car. That evening, my mother pushed two documents in front of me, her gaze sharp as a knife. “Aria, this is your last chance to choose. The right to inherit the family’s $3 billion trust fund, or a monthly allowance of $1,500.” “The $3 billion has already been deposited into your Swiss Bank card. As soon as you sign, you can access that money and take over the family business.” The crystal chandelier behind my mother refracted a dazzling light. I squinted, momentarily seeing that car rushing towards me again, hearing the crisp sound of bones being crushed. Vanessa’s triumphant sneer from my previous life still echoed in my ears. “I choose the monthly allowance of $1,500.”

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My mom kept hounding me to get married. With no other choice, I put on a meek and docile facade. I never expected that a remote blind date would get me noticed by a refined-looking, mixed-race guy studying abroad. He’d been living overseas for years and rarely came home. “I’ll give you a six hundred sixty thousand dollar bride price. No dowry needed. The condition is, you take care of my daughter back home.” He looked composed, yet he spoke so casually about having an illegitimate daughter. I feigned composure, but inside, my heart soared. Rich, a house, and instant motherhood with none of the pain. The marriage was settled immediately. From then on, I was back to my favorite games – Call of Duty, Apex Legends – and racing, with my little shadow in tow, living my best life. Until one day, my expat husband called, asking what talent our daughter could perform at her preschool parent-teacher conference. I looked at the keyboard in front of me: “Maybe… play the… keyboard?” He laughed heartily on the other end, then sent me a media video— A neon race car sped across the finish line. I opened the door, pulled off my helmet, tossed my hair, and flashed a wild grin. “Wife, are you a gentle, docile painter, or a rebellious, flamboyant race car driver?”

I froze first. Then I cleared my throat and said in a saccharine-sweet voice, “All I know is I’m your good wife!” I tried to laugh it off, brushing him away. As I spoke, my eyes darted around: the luxurious decor of the mansion, the top-of-the-line computer setup, and the cabinets full of snacks within reach. This life was pure bliss. I remembered ‘docile’ was one of Jax’s conditions for marriage. My head instantly throbbed. I quickly added, “Honey, you have no idea how scared I get when I drive. I just need your warm chest to comfort me.” “Instead of saying that, why don’t you just come home sooner and be with me?” I whined playfully, my throat constricting from the effort, and immediately hung up. I shook my head, trying to stay calm. This race was just a regional competition. How did Jax get news of it? Unless… I secretly glanced at my four-year-old daughter, who was playing house in a pile of toys. Then, I immediately dismissed the thought. That little girl listened to me more than anyone. If that was the case, how on earth did Jax find out?

A year ago. My mom was relentlessly pressuring me to marry, even going as far as showing up at my racing club, interrupting my regular training. With no other choice, I dyed my hair black, straightened it, put on a dress, and started going on blind dates. In the remote video call, Jax wore gold-rimmed glasses, looking refined and easy to handle. And from the pictures he’d sent, he was one of those guys who looked slim in clothes but muscular when stripped down. He was supposedly an American expat, making extra money working freelance on foreign film sets. His biggest quirk? He had an illegitimate daughter. She was notoriously quiet and had already scared off several nannies. But I was an expert at charming people, and lying didn’t make me bat an eye. I could be a perfect hostess and an amazing cook, not to mention great with kids. Jax was very satisfied with me. He immediately flew back to the States overnight to officially tie the knot. As for my mom, she’d already been blinded by the sheer amount of money. The first day I moved into the mansion, I was mentally prepared. I was afraid that the rumored little terror would jump out from somewhere and attack me. But before I could even knock, a soft, tiny little one walked out from inside.

The little girl’s hair was loose, and her innocent doe eyes stared straight at me. She was wearing loose, pink pajamas. It felt like she was… a little neglected. I frowned. “Chloe, Auntie will make you something delicious, okay?” With that very first sentence, I had the little girl hooked. Jax said she had a strange temper, but all I saw was this tiny pink bundle devouring her food, looking utterly adorable. I fed her meal after meal every day, completely winning her over. However, there was one exception. My thoughts spun back. Chloe had abandoned her toys at some point and stood in front of me, pouting innocently. I smiled, reaching out to pinch her cheek. How could Chloe be the one who leaked it? Jax must have found out from somewhere else. Looks like I need to pay attention to security cameras next time. “Sweetie, are you fussy about bedtime again? Auntie will tuck you in!” It was like a switch had been flipped. The child scurried around the house like a little mouse. She ran and yelled, “Oh no, the witch is coming!” I fought to keep my lips from twitching— “Chloe, why aren’t you being good!” After hearing me, she dug out the toy AK I’d bought her from the toy pile: “Look, a gun!” The little rascal must have loaded a fake bullet without me noticing. “Oof—” It stung when it hit me. I rubbed my forehead, speechless, looking at the way she held the gun. Isn’t this exactly how my Call of Duty trainees hold theirs? Great. If Jax found out I wasn’t just racing, but also teaching his daughter how to “fight” at home… Would he divorce me and demand the bride price back?!

I knelt in front of the little one. “Chloe, you can’t point a gun at your teammates. From today on, the gun is confiscated!” I rarely called her by her full name, and my usual smiling face was gone. The little girl froze, her innocent gaze filled with a mix of curiosity and confusion. I took the gun, but then cut her a small piece of cake. “Sweetie, you need to sleep! You’re still growing.” I patiently wiped the cream from her lips. This child had only one flaw: she hated sleeping. In the first few days I was at Jax’s house, she’d sway from exhaustion but refuse to get into bed. The discomfort of being sleepy made her wail. So, when Jax said the previous nannies couldn’t stand her crying, it wasn’t entirely Chloe’s fault. Because of this, I had to pull out all the stops to coax her to sleep. I read her fairy tales, and she’d say, “Why did the Little Mermaid have to die for the prince? Was he really that handsome?” I put on sleep-inducing cartoons, and she’d say, “Are they mute? Why aren’t they talking?” It wasn’t until I put on a classic old movie that she started to snore before she could even complain. This little one was… interesting. But even classic old movies eventually end, and Chloe wasn’t easy to fool, so I put on a long-running historical drama for her. She slept, alright, but then I started binge-watching shows all night. Everything from historical epics and family sagas to modern romances and thrillers. It was normal for me to love watching them, but as for Chloe— “I’m looking for my dad!” Jax? My expat husband, living it up overseas, how could he appear in a TV show? I pulled Chloe into my arms: “Sweetie, if you miss Daddy, we can FaceTime him.” The child shook her head. “Daddy has to go to heaven and earth, he doesn’t have time to answer the phone.” I raised an eyebrow, my lips twitching. Jax really could say anything, couldn’t he? He should be more realistic when coaxing a child. If he could go to heaven and earth, I’d be the Queen of the World. After that conversation, my gaze softened towards Chloe even more. Her mother was nowhere to be found, and her dad was full of empty promises. As her stepmom, I had to give it my all. My attention to Chloe became almost 24/7. But kids have their secrets too. “Why are you fiddling with your watch and hiding from me?” I teased Chloe, who was crouched in the corner. Her face was full of surprise, one hand covering her smartwatch, the other covering her mouth. She shook her head frantically. Thankfully, I wasn’t interested in uncovering a child’s secrets. It just made me feel even more anxious whenever Chloe left my sight.

My internal clock hadn’t adjusted yet, and by midday, my eyelids were already drooping. “Auntie, why don’t you go sleep?” I waved my hand. “No way. This mansion is too big to leave a kid alone.” “But Daddy said you’d become the biggest danger in the house if you kept getting so little sleep.” I rolled my eyes. “He’s got a sharp tongue, doesn’t he?” “Wait…” Chloe and I stared at each other, her eyes wide. She was clearly flustered. She avoided my gaze. “Daddy calls me sometimes.” “Good for him. He has a great daughter back home, he should call often.” I didn’t think much of it, my drowsiness at its peak. “Sweetie, time for a nap.” The two of us, one big, one small, squeezed onto the pink bed. I quickly drifted off to dreamland. So, I was completely unaware of the rustling sounds coming from the living room outside. Chloe, sleeping beside me, immediately opened her eyes and sat up. Her face was filled with wariness. Two years ago, she was still in a country full of foreigners. Her dad left early and came back late every day for filming. She lived in a big house with her nanny, Amy. One night, she was woken by sounds outside. Peeking through the door crack, she saw Amy and a tall man engaging in highly inappropriate behavior on the dining table. Just then, the front door opened. It was her exhausted father, home at last. Even if her dad could go to heaven and earth, in his fatigued state, he was quickly subdued by the man, who was much taller than him, and the large Amy. In the deep gloom of the night, Chloe, through the door crack, met her struggling father’s gaze. Her dad suddenly stopped resisting. Tears welled in his eyes, and his lips moved, soundlessly mouthing, “Don’t speak.” The two bad people dragged her dad into the garden outside. After a choked scream, hurried footsteps grew closer and closer. Chloe, terrified, scrambled back into bed. In the darkness, Amy and the burly man walked in. Chloe tightly shut her eyes. Only when the footsteps completely faded did Chloe dare to peek out. That night left Chloe with a nightmare, a deep imprint. From then on, she couldn’t sleep, or if she did, she couldn’t sleep deeply. The terror buried deep within her never truly faded. Chloe glanced at me, biting her lip. She tiptoed to the door and immediately locked it. During this time, Chloe’s feelings for me had grown increasingly complex. Her mother had died in childbirth, and the care I gave her was something she had never experienced since birth. My affection came with guidance and education. This time, she didn’t want to be a coward anymore. “Chloe.” A deep male voice sounded from outside the door. Chloe’s face lit up with surprise. She opened the door and threw herself into the man’s arms: “Daddy Jax!” Jax glanced into the room at the sleeping woman. He picked up Chloe and then carefully closed the door. They sat cross-legged on the sunny balcony. Jax carefully examined the little person in front of him. “You’ve put on a little weight, and your hair is tied up properly now!” Jax smiled fondly, feeding a peeled orange segment to Chloe. Chloe smiled sweetly: “Are you really planning on coming back to the States?” “I’m thinking about it.” Jax nodded with a smile. He was currently preparing for Director Alpha’s new film. As the only Asian face in it, and a mysterious character whose identity hadn’t been revealed yet. There was constant speculation about him. If he was lucky, this movie would be his breakthrough work to establish himself in Hollywood. But now… Jax’s gaze shifted to the nearby bedroom door. During these past days, Chloe had been sending him many pictures and videos of his new wife through her smartwatch. Chloe, usually quiet and highly cautious, had, through their daily interactions, been influenced by his new wife and gradually opened up. Compared to her initial dotting wife persona, her dashing and bold appearance on the race track made Jax even more curious. He had worked hard on foreign film sets for years, meeting countless people, but only his new wife’s vibrant energy completely captivated him. As for acting, Jax still had some confidence. “Auntie is very good.” Chloe wrinkled her nose at the sour orange but obediently swallowed it because Auntie said it was rude to waste food. Jax curved his lips into a smile. He nodded. “Yes, she truly is good.” A wave of emotion swelled in his chest. He pulled Chloe into his arms. “Chloe, did you think about the past again?” “Mm…” The little girl’s voice trembled slightly. Jax gently patted her back. “It’s safe at home. For the next week, I’ll be here, and Auntie will be with you too.” While Cassidy napped, Jax went back to the master bedroom to change out of his windbreaker jacket. The hot shower washed away the fatigue of a ten-hour flight and jet lag. As he stepped out of the bathroom, I happened to wake up and walk into the kitchen— “Sweetie, Mom will make you some afternoon snacks, okay?” Chloe, perhaps intentionally, smiled and said yes, without mentioning Jax at all.

After my nap, I felt completely refreshed. I was humming a tune, holding a rolling pin. Suddenly, a man’s low chuckle echoed in my ears. “CLANG—” All my expressions froze on my face. I looked upstairs, bewildered. I squinted, holding the rolling pin, and started walking upstairs. Chloe grabbed my hand. My nerves tightened as I turned to her. “Be a good girl, sweetie. Auntie’s just going to handle something. Don’t be scared!” The sound came from inside the master bedroom. I took a deep breath, gathered my courage, and pushed open the door. The next second, what I saw— Dark skin, broad shoulders, a narrow waist. His massive pecs rose and fell with each breath, and below them, a sculpted eight-pack made my heart pound. I subconsciously swallowed hard. My hand holding the rolling pin went limp. All I wanted to do was yank off that short white towel around his waist. My gaze moved up— “Hon… honey?” Instantly, I felt myself flush crimson from head to toe. After two dry laughs, I turned to leave, but his large hand wrapped around me, pulling me into the bedroom. He held me from behind, his strong body enveloping me. I could clearly feel his heart thumping against my chest. For a moment, it felt like our hearts were beating in sync. “Let go first! Jax, why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?” I was a little annoyed at being tricked. But he held me tighter, burying his head in my neck, his warm breath fanning against my collarbone. I couldn’t help but shrink my neck, but then I heard his soft chuckle. “Jax!” I snapped, trying to break free, but he held me in a vice-like grip. Without thinking, I lowered my head and bit Jax’s arm hard. Even his arm was pure muscle; it hurt my teeth. Jax laughed, his voice full of indulgence: “Alright, stop messing around! I just wanted to surprise you.” “Then where’s the gift?” The words popped out before I could stop myself, and I instantly regretted doing something so out of character. Jax smiled and nodded— “Of course, my dear Mrs. Cassidy.” His voice deepened, and he lowered his head, kissing my neck. I couldn’t help but let out a soft gasp. The temperature in the room instantly shot up. Jax exhaled raggedly, as if desperately suppressing something, and finally let go of me completely. His exposed skin was flushed crimson.

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After finally getting the ice-cold heartthrob I’d chased for ages to say yes, I discovered he had a major problem. I thought he was just too tired from work, so I gently reassured him it was fine. That was until I saw the floating comments: [He just doesn’t feel anything for the side character! With the heroine, he can go seven rounds a night!] Looking at Asher, who was feigning remorse, I quietly pulled the blanket over myself. The very next day, I broke up with him. He clung to me, losing control, when he saw another guy with his arm around me. “Just give me another chance, please…” he choked, begging. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise. I’m a fast learner, you know.” I lay in bed, staring blankly at the messages from Asher. [Quinn, can we meet?] [We need to sort out any issues right away.] [I want to explain everything in person.] Seeing I didn’t reply, he added another line. [Baby, I don’t want to break up.] Honestly, after reading his words, I wavered a little. But the moment I thought about what happened yesterday, I decisively blocked and deleted him everywhere. Asher, my ex-boyfriend. Rich, handsome, and usually treated me so well. There was just one thing that bothered me. He couldn’t perform. Yesterday was our one-year anniversary. We had a few drinks, sparks were flying, and we checked into a hotel. The instant the hotel room door clicked shut, my back hit the cold mirror. Asher’s hot breath, mixed with the smell of alcohol, caressed my neck: “Ready to try this?” “Asher…” I reached out to push him away, but my fingertips barely grazed his rapidly rising and falling chest before my hands were caught and pinned above my head. His eyelashes trembled as he kissed me, but his lips were cold. He kissed me fiercely and haphazardly, as if trying to prove something, pulling me toward the bed. The dull thud of his belt buckle hitting the carpet made me shiver. He buried his face in my shoulder, breathing heavily, his fingers freezing the moment they touched the edge of my lace. In the darkness, I distinctly heard his Adam’s apple bob. Cold sweat dripped from his tense jawline into the small hollow of my collarbone. I chuckled, thinking he was nervous. “Don’t move.” His voice was hoarse as he pressed down on my hand trying to reach for the light, his fingertips trembling. I reached out to touch his abs. His breathing hitched, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he turned his head: “Quinn, stop messing around.” I playfully bit his earlobe, chuckling, “What’s with the act? Your heart’s about to explode.” The next second, he flipped me over, pinning me against the headboard, and yanked his tie to bind my hands: “You asked for it.” But his kisses stopped abruptly at my collarbone. His body was taut like a drawn bow, yet he made no further move. Suddenly, lines of comments floated before my eyes. [Side character, run! The male lead is a jerk, his body can only be loyal to the heroine!] [Don’t be soft, girl, he’ll only drain your life force to empower the heroine!] [You’re just a catalyst! All your current sweetness is just to boost the male and female leads’ relationship!] I blinked in disbelief, my blood instantly freezing. Before, I never understood why I, Quinn Miller, a girl from a well-off family, cherished by my whole family, had to chase Asher for so long before he finally agreed to be with me. Now I understood. I was just the side character in a novel, and Asher was the male lead. He could only belong to the heroine. Asher was still stubbornly nibbling my earlobe. But his body, which should have been burning, grew colder and colder, and even his kisses became mechanical touches. I watched his feigned remorse and suddenly pushed him away, grabbing the bedsheet to wrap myself. Asher knelt by the bed, his tie askew around his neck. He looked down at his limp hands: “How could this happen?” “You should go.” I heard my own hollow voice. I snatched my jacket and rushed for the door, but he hugged me tightly from behind. Warm liquid dripped onto my neck, indistinguishable whether it was sweat or tears: “Just ten more minutes… just ten minutes…” He buried his face in my hair, sobbing. I quietly pushed him away: “Asher, let’s break up.” 3 I curled up in the bathtub, hot water lapping at my chin. Honestly, after breaking up with Asher, I was still a little sad. After all, he was the guy I’d chased for so long. I couldn’t help but feel a little regret. The comments floated in the mist above the water, like a bucket of ice water extinguishing my last bit of hesitation. [Side character, run! The male lead is waiting for you downstairs!] [Don’t waver, stay as far away from that jerk as possible!] [I’m so worried, I’m terrified she’ll get back together with the male lead!] It had been three days. Ever since I pushed Asher away in that hotel room, these bizarre words had haunted me. At first, I thought I was going crazy, until the comments mentioned Willow’s name. My phone vibrated wildly against the tiles. “Quinn, I’m downstairs.” Asher’s voice, raspy from the night wind, was barely recognizable, “Let me see you, just for a second.” I gripped the edge of the tub, hesitating whether to go downstairs. The comments suddenly erupted: [He’s in the rain! He’s in the rain!] [Side character, hurry and take him an umbrella! It’s what the plot demands!] [The one above is crazy? The heroine is having a fever at the art studio right now, the male lead should be going to give her medicine!] How laughable. My life, which had been smooth sailing for twenty-four years, was just a mere stepping stone in someone else’s story. [Side character, don’t go down. You can’t force true love.] Yes, you can’t force true love… I chased Asher for so long, thinking that after all the hardship, happiness would follow once we were together. But his heart was with Willow. I spoke: “Asher, we’re already broken up.” A wave of cheers from the comments. [Side character has awoken!] [That’s great, I was so worried!] [It’s okay, side character. Bye bye, boy. The next one’s gonna be a keeper!] The sound of fabric rubbing together came from the other end of the line. Asher roared: “Quinn, come out! Let’s talk this through face to face!” I wrapped myself in a bathrobe and walked to the balcony. Through the curtain of rain, I saw him slumped on the ground, his captivating eyes, which once mesmerized me, now bloodshot. I leaned on the railing and chuckled softly, “Asher, don’t make me look down on you.” 4 After that, I never saw Asher again. Today, I was having dinner at a restaurant. The couple at the next table had already finished their cream of mushroom soup, but my table still only had a glass of lemon water. I firmly turned off my phone screen, my fingertips tapping restlessly on the tablecloth. “Is table 23’s steak not ready yet?” A figure in a black and white uniform scurried out from the kitchen, her ponytail swaying gently as she jogged. Willow’s hands trembled as she held the tray, sauce drizzling onto the carpet along the edge of the plate. I frowned, about to speak, when the porcelain plate suddenly slipped, scraping against the table corner, and all the dark red sauce spilled onto my cream-colored skirt. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry!” She dropped to her knees, vigorously wiping my dress with a wet napkin, “I didn’t mean it, please don’t report me…” I recoiled my leg as if shocked by electricity, her knuckles white as she clutched the napkin. “Get up first.” I reached out to help her, not understanding why she reacted so strongly when I hadn’t even said anything. Willow suddenly grabbed my wrist. “Ms. Miller, why do you have to make things so hard for me?” she looked up, her face swollen from crying, “I really didn’t mean it.” Blood rushed to my temples. “CCTV.” I spoke as calmly as possible, “Check the footage.” “Ms. Miller, please, I don’t want to lose my job.” Willow covered her mouth and began to sob. People around us started to whisper. Someone raised their phone to record. The back of my neck tingled. I could feel countless eyes glued to my spine. “These young girls nowadays are something else,” a middle-aged woman’s voice, lowered, came from behind me, “Dressed so nicely, what’s the big deal about bullying a server?” “Mom, keep your voice down,” a young girl quickly interrupted, “What if the server is the one with the problem…?” “What problem could she have? Didn’t you see her kneeling?” a man in a floral shirt across the diagonal deliberately raised his voice, “Rich people love to put on airs. A little sauce and they want to check CCTV, think this is a TV show?” I clutched my soaked skirt, my nails almost digging into my palms. The heroine’s aura was truly a terrifying thing. Willow’s crying intensified, and she shuffled forward on her knees, trying to grab my hand: “Ms. Miller, I’ll pay for your dry cleaning, I’ll give you this month’s salary…” [Original plot alert! The male lead should rush in to protect his white lotus heroine!] [Classic scene: Dominant CEO scolds the villainous side character!] [Warning! High-stakes scene ahead! Asher is about to scold Quinn!] “Quinn would never make things difficult for anyone.” A familiar cedarwood scent wafted from behind me. Asher pulled me into his embrace. His sharp suit looked out of place amid the mess on the floor. I thought Asher and I would never see each other again. I never imagined that at such a vulnerable moment, he would be the one to speak up for me. Willow’s sobs caught in her throat, and her entire body suddenly began to tremble. “Mr. Thompson, I…” Asher’s gaze fell on the stain on my skirt. He took off his suit jacket and tied it around my waist: “Good girl, go change in my car.” His movements as he shook out the suit were anxious; I’d never seen him like this. [OMG, the plot’s broken! Why is the male lead with the side character?!] [The heroine is crying so miserably, and the male lead is ignoring her??] [Ahhhh, he put his jacket on the side character! In the original, he clearly put it on the heroine!] “No need,” I brushed away his outstretched hand, ready to leave quickly, “Thank you for the offer, Mr. Thompson.” The male lead and the heroine had met; as the side character, I should gracefully disappear. Just as I was about to slip away, Asher grabbed my hand, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Quinn, don’t be like this.” Willow suddenly lunged forward and hugged his leg, her tears soaking his expensive suit pants: “Ms. Miller, it was my clumsiness, please don’t take it out on Mr. Thompson!” Amidst the commotion of the crowd, Asher froze like an ice sculpture. I looked at his hand hanging by his side, clenched tightly into a fist. Willow was still whimpering something, but her voice sounded as if it were behind a curtain of water. [Heroine, don’t kneel! Your main love interest is OOC!] [Help, the male lead’s fists are so tight, is he fighting against the original plot’s will?] [Side character, run! This love triangle showdown is going to break the timeline!] Asher suddenly grabbed my wrist, his body temperature alarmingly hot. “Come with me.” Seeing my reluctance, he added: “Just ten minutes.” 5 Asher’s fingers felt like they were digging into my wrist bone. He pulled me through the restaurant’s back door, and the damp, rainy air hit my face. “Ten minutes,” he repeated the number as he pushed me into the passenger seat, “You’ll at least listen for these ten minutes.” [OMG, is the male lead crazy?! This is kidnapping!] [Help, his grip is so strong, the side character’s wrist is already bruised!] [In the original, the male lead saved the heroine here. The plot’s so off, it’s unrecognizable!] The car air freshener was the citrus scent we’d picked out together, but now it stung my eyes. He held the steering wheel with one hand, his other hand gripping the gear stick tightly, knuckles white: “That night… I checked, it’s PTSD. I’m already in therapy…” “It has nothing to do with that.” I cut him off, my nails digging into my palms. In the rearview mirror, Willow was chasing after us, her slender figure swaying in the rain. He suddenly leaned over, grabbed my shoulders, and his cedarwood scent mixed with his trembling breath pressed down: “Then why break up? Last week you still said you wanted to go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights with me…” “Asher!” I violently pushed him away, the seat leather making a shrill scraping sound, “Do I have to spell it out? I don’t love you anymore, I don’t love you. Don’t you get it?” [Awakening value MAX! Queen behavior, sis!] [The male lead’s shocked expression is so satisfying!] [Let him taste what it’s like to be dumped too!] Asher’s pupils constricted abruptly, as if seared by my words. The dome light cast fragmented shadows beneath his eyelashes, and I saw his Adam’s apple bob painfully: “You’re lying.” “Quinn, you’re playing me, aren’t you?” I fumbled for the car door handle, the coolness of the metal creeping up my fingertips: “Just say I found you… lacking.” “Don’t say that word!” He suddenly slammed his fist on the steering wheel in a fit of rage, the horn blaring, “You know I’m trying! I have my third desensitization therapy next week, the doctor said…” “But I don’t want to wait anymore. Asher, I’m a normal person, I have needs. You trembled like I was poison every time you touched me…” “It just disgusts me.” He froze completely, his pale face slowly turning to me: “So that’s what you think.” In the blue light of the dashboard, he unbuttoned two shirt buttons, revealing the faint red scratch marks I’d just left below his collarbone. Intimate, yet heartbreaking. “Want to try now?” He grabbed my hand and pressed it to his chest, his heartbeat like a trapped beast pounding against my palm, “Right here, I’ll show you I’m not some useless piece of trash…” “You’re insane!” I yanked my hand back as if shocked, my back hitting the car door. A mechanical alarm suddenly blared, sharp enough to pierce my eardrums. [Warning! Timeline Correction Protocol Initiated!] I curled up in pain, my vision blurring. Asher’s alarmed face swayed in the distorted light: “Quinn? What’s wrong? I’ll take you to the hospital…” “Don’t touch me!” I slapped away his outstretched hand, my nails drawing blood on his knuckles, “Asher, we’re over. From now on, you go your way, I’ll go mine.” His hand, frozen mid-air, slowly clenched into a fist: “What if I refuse to let you go?” The sound of rain suddenly grew heavier. My head throbbed. I knew the will of this world was closing its net. “Asher, we ended a long time ago.” 6 I moved, and my best friend, Chloe, invited me for coffee that weekend. She pushed the coffee cup toward me, the bottom clinking against the glass table: “That godforsaken part of town north of here doesn’t even have a decent coffee shop. You might as well become a nun!”

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Julian Hayes dragged me into a compromising situation, busting me with his rival. A barrage of cameras and microphones were shoved into my face, completely ignoring my half-naked body. Julian spoke with a smug, confident tone, “So, Mr. Vance, are you so desperate for women that you’d dare to sleep with my wife?” “Wife, come here.” But I just laid out my divorce certificate and marriage certificate, linking my arm with Caleb Vance’s. “Excuse me, but we’re legally married.” “Julian, did you forget? We got divorced. You were the one who asked for it.” “You wanted me to orchestrate a fake divorce, using my reputation to set up Caleb?” Seriously? I *just* got remarried, thank you very much! Go back to him? Dream on! I stared at the antique clock on the wall. The hour hand pointed to nine. The elaborate dinner on the table had long gone cold, and the candles on the candelabra were burning down to their stumps. “Madam, should I clear the table?” Martha stood at the dining room entrance, hesitant to speak. I shook my head, my fingers unconsciously tracing the embroidery on the napkin. “Just a little longer. He said he’d be home early tonight.” It was my third wedding anniversary with Julian. I’d started preparing a month ago: booked his favorite restaurant, bought a new dress, and even secretly practiced the piano piece he’d been listening to recently, hoping to surprise him after dinner. My phone vibrated. I practically lunged to answer it. “Madam, Mr. Hayes asked me to inform you that he has an important client meeting tonight. He won’t be back for dinner.” It was Daniel, Julian’s assistant, speaking in a strictly businesslike tone. I bit my lower lip until I tasted a hint of blood, then released it. “Did he say… when he’ll be back?” “Mr. Hayes didn’t say. Is there anything you’d like me to relay?” “No, thank you.” I hung up, feeling my eyes sting, but no tears came. In the past three years, I had learned not to show weakness in front of others. Martha sighed and began clearing the table. I stood up to help, but she gently pressed my hand. “Madam, please go rest. I’ll handle this.” I knew she pitied me. Everyone in the Hayes household knew how Julian treated me. In three years of marriage, he’d been home a handful of times. Even when he did return, it was usually late at night, when I was already asleep. Sometimes, I even wondered if he deliberately avoided me. Back in the bedroom, I peeled off the expensive custom-made dress and tossed it onto a chair. The woman in the mirror had a beautiful face and figure, but her eyes were dim. I was only twenty-six, but I felt like I was already old. That rainy night three years ago suddenly flashed before my eyes. My father’s company had plunged into crisis overnight. Creditors blocked the doors, banks demanded payments. The Lin family had fallen from the heights of prosperity into the depths of despair. My father, out of options, humbled himself before the elder Mr. Hayes, desperately pleading for help. “I can help you, but I have a condition.” The elder Mr. Hayes was puffing on a cigar, his eyes sharp. That condition was me. Aurora Lin, the only daughter of the Lin family, would marry Julian Hayes, the heir to the Hayes empire. I still remembered the first time I saw Julian. He stood by the huge floor-to-ceiling window at the Hayes mansion, his back to me, his figure as tall and straight as a pine. When he turned, I was stunned by his handsome face, but his eyes were as cold as ice when he looked at me. “It’s just a business arrangement. Don’t expect me to fall in love with you.” That was the first thing he ever said to me.

I agreed to the marriage. For my father, for the Lin family, I had no choice. The wedding was grand. The Hayes family valued their reputation, wanting even an unwilling marriage to be spectacular. Julian drank a lot that day. He didn’t even step into the bedroom on our wedding night. For three years, I tried to be a perfect wife. I memorized all his preferences, learned about his interests, and even endured his tabloid scandals. I naively believed that if I was good enough, one day he would finally look at me. The sound of water running in the bathroom broke my reverie. I froze. Julian was back? Pushing open the bathroom door, a rush of steam hit me. Julian stood under the shower, water droplets sliding down his muscular back. He turned off the water, grabbed a towel, and wrapped it around his waist. He frowned when he saw me. “You’re still awake?” “It’s our third wedding anniversary today.” I said softly, handing him another towel. He took it and dried his hair, his expression completely flat. “Is it? I forgot.” My heart felt like it was pricked by a needle, but I was used to the pain by now. “It’s okay. Work is important.” Julian walked out of the bathroom, pulled out pajamas from the wardrobe, and changed. I stood there, feeling like a useless decoration. “Right,” he suddenly said. “There’s something I need your cooperation with.” I looked up at him, surprised that he actually needed something from me. “Caleb Vance has been trying to snatch a crucial project from Hayes Corporation recently.” His eyes flashed with a hint of malice when he spoke Caleb’s name. “I need you to get close to him, and collect some… compromising information about him.” My eyes widened. “What do you mean?” “It’s simple.” Julian lit a cigarette, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather. “We’ll get a fake divorce first. That way, your approach to him won’t raise any suspicion.” “With your looks, seducing him shouldn’t be difficult.” I felt a chill run through me, unable to believe what I was hearing. “You… you want me to use my body?” “Don’t put it so crudely.” He exhaled a smoke ring, his eyes filled with indifference. “It’s just business strategy.” “After it’s done, we’ll remarry, and your father’s company will get more resources from Hayes Corporation.” I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. Three years. In his eyes, I was nothing but a tool to be used, not even deserving of basic dignity. “What if I refuse?” I heard myself ask. Julian smiled, and the smile sent shivers down my spine. “Your father’s new government project… seems to have some funding issues, doesn’t it?” The threat was unmistakable. I closed my eyes, feeling a wave of dizziness. So, I didn’t even have the right to say no. “Fine, I’ll do it.” I opened my eyes, my voice eerily calm. Julian nodded, satisfied, and stubbed out his cigarette. “The lawyer will be here tomorrow to handle the paperwork. Remember, it’s just a plan. Don’t take it seriously.” He pulled back the covers and lay down, turning his back to me. I stood there, looking at the man who was legally my husband, and suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of unfamiliarity. That night, I stood on the balcony, gazing at the distant city lights, and made a decision. Since Julian wanted to play this game, I would play it to the very end. Only, he would be the one to regret it in the end.

The lights of the charity gala hurt my eyes. I stood in a corner, my fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of my wine glass, my gaze scanning the room for Caleb Vance. Julian’s briefing material said he’d definitely be here tonight. “Alone?” A man reeking of alcohol leaned in, his eyes lingering unpleasantly on my exposed shoulder. I took a half-step back, forcing a smile. “I’m waiting for someone.” “Waiting for who? Why don’t you have a drink with me first?” He reached out to put his arm around my waist. “This lady clearly isn’t interested.” A deep voice came from my side. I turned, my breath catching in my throat. Caleb Vance was even more striking than in his photos. A chiseled face, eyes as deep as ink, and a perfectly tailored suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist. What surprised me most was the way he looked at me—with a restrained politeness, a stark contrast to the ruthless business shark Julian had described. After the drunken man sheepishly left, Caleb gave a slight nod. “Miss Lin, I hope you weren’t too startled?” He knew my name. My heart skipped a beat. “You know me?” “Who in the business world hasn’t heard of Mrs. Hayes?” A slight smile played on his lips as he offered me a handkerchief. “You spilled some wine.” Only then did I notice the red wine splashed on my wrist from earlier. As I took the handkerchief, I noticed a thin, long scar on his fingertip, strikingly different from Julian’s pampered hands. Wiping away the wine stain, I suddenly realized this was the perfect opportunity to approach him. “Might I have the honor of a dance, Mr. Vance? As a thank you.” Caleb raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised, but quickly extended his hand. “My pleasure.” The music started, and his hand rested lightly on my waist, maintaining a respectful distance. I’d expected to smell heavy cologne, but instead, I caught a hint of crisp cedar. “Miss Lin’s dance steps are quite professional,” he suddenly said. “I studied in college,” I replied casually, but then froze. How did he know I was dancing professional ballroom, not just a social dance? Caleb seemed to sense my confusion, letting out a soft chuckle. “A guess. Your way of following the rhythm is quite unique.” When the dance ended, he politely escorted me back to my seat, not lingering. I should have felt relieved, but a strange sense of disappointment washed over me. “How’s the progress?” Back at the Hayes mansion, Julian was waiting for me in the living room. “I’ve made contact. It will take more time.” I slipped off my high heels. My ankles were already chafed and bleeding. Julian frowned. “Too slow. Hayes Corp. has a private reception next week. Find a way to get an invitation.” He stood up and walked closer, his fingers pinching my chin. “Don’t tell me you’re getting soft? Remember, he might act like a gentleman, but he uses every dirty trick in the book behind the scenes.” I lowered my gaze. “I know.” Three days later, I used the excuse of following up on the charity project to arrange a meeting with Caleb at his company. His secretary led me to his office, but then informed me he had an urgent conference call. “Mr. Vance said you could wait here, or relax in the adjacent study.” The secretary said respectfully. I chose the study. The room was spacious and bright, with a wall-to-wall bookshelf filled with books and files. As I looked closer, I suddenly found a plain black photo album tucked away in a corner. Driven by an inexplicable impulse, I picked it up. Turning the first page, my breath hitched. It was me at eighteen, standing on a piano competition stage, smiling brilliantly. Flipping through, there were nothing but clippings about me: college debate champion, charity performances, even candid shots of me feeding stray cats on campus. “That was seven years ago.” Caleb’s voice came from behind me, startling me so much the album slipped from my grasp. He bent down to pick it up, gently brushing off non-existent dust. “You… why do you have these?” My voice trembled. He gazed at the photos, his eyes incredibly tender. “Because that day, your music made me want to live.”

That evening, Julian returned unusually early. The moment I stepped through the door, he dragged me into the study. He flung a gilded card at me, his eyes full of disdain. “The reception invitation. Friday night. Don’t mess it up.” I rubbed my aching wrist. “I’ll be ready.” “Ready?” Julian sneered. “You’ve only had coffee with him a few times in two weeks. Your progress is like a snail’s pace.” “I need evidence to ruin Caleb Vance, not to see you discussing some damn classical music with him.” He slammed a stack of photos onto the table. They were all candid shots of Caleb and me at a coffee shop. My stomach twisted in a painful knot. He had been having me followed all along. “I need time to build trust.” I tried to keep my voice steady. Julian grabbed my chin. “Listen, your father’s new project is signing the contract next week.” “Before that, I want to see results.” His thumb brushed my lips, but his eyes were cold as ice. “If necessary, use some… special methods. Understand?” I understood. Too well. For three years, I had learned to interpret the meaning behind his every threat. Friday morning, the sky was heavily overcast. I stood across from the Vance Tower, hesitating whether I should “accidentally” run into Caleb for lunch as planned. A drop of rain landed on my nose, and instantly, a downpour began. I hurried to take shelter under the eaves of a convenience store, watching the rain create countless splashes on the ground. It was twenty minutes before our scheduled time, but my clothes were already soaked through. “Looks like we both underestimated the weather.” A black umbrella opened above my head. Caleb had appeared beside me without me noticing. He took off his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders. The fabric still held his body heat. “My car is just ahead,” he said. The rain blurred my vision as I followed him into a discreet black sedan. “Address?” he asked. I instinctively gave him the address of the Hayes mansion, immediately regretting it. It was like telling him I was going back to my “husband’s” house. But Caleb just nodded and set the navigation. Soft piano music suddenly filled the car. My body tensed. It was a rare, obscure piece, an anodyne I often listened to when I couldn’t sleep. “This song…” My voice trembled. Rain streamed down the car windows. I gripped the towel tightly, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. He knew my coffee preference, remembered my phone’s ringtone, and now he was playing this almost unknown piece of music. Too many coincidences stopped being coincidences. “What exactly do you…” “We’re here.” Caleb cut me off, stopping the car a block away from the Hayes mansion, thoughtfully giving me room to explain. Caleb turned to look at me. The rain cast flowing shadows on the car window, making his expression hard to read. After a long moment, he reached out and gently brushed a drop of water from my hair, his voice soft. “Aurora, why haven’t you understood yet?” The civil affairs office door clicked shut behind me. I looked down at the brand-new divorce certificate in my hand, its red cover stinging my eyes in the sunlight. “Don’t make that face.” Julian adjusted his cufflink, his eyes full of mockery. “We’ll remarry in three months. This is just a formality.” I quickly composed my expression and shoved the divorce certificate into my bag.

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The day the zombie horde broke out, I tore up my assignment roster, forcing myself to stay behind in the doomed Zone C. I held on until dawn the next day, just long enough to hear Caleb’s loud broadcast: Celeste had found a new oasis. Her discovery, he claimed, would be humanity’s last hope. Only then did I finally breathe a sigh of relief. As the horde smashed through the doors, I detonated all my explosives. In my previous life, Caleb had made sure I drew the winning lot. He used my luck-boosting ability to easily find the oasis and become a leader. He promised me that as soon as I found the oasis, he would send away all the other women he was seeing. I believed him. But when I lit the bonfire signal, what arrived wasn’t his support, but betrayal. “Celeste has no powers, she needs my protection more. I just want her and her child to be respected by everyone in this apocalypse. But you, you try to steal even this little bit of credit.” “She got a fever, terrified by zombies, just looking for you. I’ll make you feel ten thousand times her pain.” He chained me to a car and dragged me until I was torn to shreds by zombies. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day the horde erupted. This time, I’d let them have their savior dream.

“Astrid! Get in the car!” “Any later, and the horde will completely surround us!” I looked into the distance. The energy shield around the perimeter of Zone C was weakening. Leo was so anxious, he was almost in tears. “Astrid! You’re the only one with powers in the entire base! Where there’s life, there’s hope! Don’t throw away your life!” I was about to speak. The steel door of the safe house was violently kicked open. Caleb’s personal guard roughly seized my arms, dragging me out without a word. Leo roared from behind, his voice gut-wrenching. “Let her go! Astrid’s pregnant, you’ll make her miscarry dragging her like this! You damn lackeys of the base leader!” They finally pushed me to the base’s central plaza. A pre-assault rally was being held there. In the center of the plaza, a dozen people were already kneeling. These people were all scapegoats, accused of various crimes. Some were charged with hoarding rations, others falsely accused of trying to steal a vehicle to escape. Then, the enforcement squad stepped out. They carried a large wooden bucket, walking up to each person, prying open their jaws. Spoon after spoon of black-green liquid was forcibly poured down their throats. That water was contaminated from the base’s failed purification system, filled with radiation. The entire plaza was instantly drowned in screams and sounds of retching. A man next to me convulsed violently, foaming at the mouth. “We just wanted to save some extra food for our kids… Why are you doing this to us?!” I wasn’t spared either. A full spoon of contaminated water was forced down, and my stomach cramped in excruciating pain. Blood gushed from between my legs. I let out a muffled groan of agony, which startled those around me. “That’s Astrid! The Commander’s wife! They’re pouring it down her too?” “Isn’t she our hero in Zone C? She led a team to reclaim a batch of medicine yesterday! What in the world is going on?!” The intense pain made my vision blur, and I crumpled to the ground. “Medic! Call a medic now! Someone’s going to die!” Just then, the noisy crowd automatically parted, creating a path. Celeste, dressed in a brand-new white combat suit, looked impossibly clean for this apocalypse. She clung intimately to Caleb’s arm, a saintly, yet pitying smile gracing her face. Caleb’s gaze swept over us, groaning in pain on the ground, his face grim. Celeste dramatically covered her mouth. “Oh my, why is everyone collapsed? Who could be so heartless as to shake our morale at such a critical moment, with the zombie horde surrounding us?” Before she even finished, Caleb’s face was filled with rage, and he violently kicked my stomach. “You vicious wretch!” He roared at me, “The moment I step away from the base, you dare to incite people and cause internal strife!” “You’re so consumed by jealousy that you’d try to steal Celeste’s credit for finding the oasis!” That kick left me unable to even cry out. I looked at Celeste’s face behind him, twisted with a triumphant smirk. I gritted my teeth and squeezed out a few words from my throat. “I didn’t… It was her…” “Still trying to lie your way out of it?!” Caleb bellowed. “This isn’t the first time you’ve been so unscrupulous for credit! This time, I will not let you off!”

He pointed at the struggling survivors on the ground and ordered them. “Each of you, give her one shot from a taser. After you’re done, I’ll personally escort you to the oasis, and your food and medicine rations will be doubled.” The personal guard dragged me up from the ground, completely ignoring my miscarriage. The survivors who had been forced to drink the contaminated water looked at me, their eyes filled with reluctance. A middle-aged man walked forward, tears in his eyes, and pulled the trigger. “I’m sorry, Captain Astrid… I have two children at home…” One person, two people… Blue electric arcs flashed again and again, scorching the life out of my unborn baby. Only after everyone had tasered me and left did Caleb, satisfied, take the water Celeste offered him. He took her hand and walked over to me. He looked at me, covered in dust, my cheeks bruised, and a flicker of something complex crossed his eyes. But the next moment, he coldly lifted my chin. “Don’t blame me for making them do it. I had to teach you a lesson, so you know this is what happens if you dare to be jealous, if you dare to harm others again.” “Save yourself the trouble of trying to steal Celeste’s credit again.” My whole body trembled, and I looked up at him. So, I wasn’t the only one who had been reborn. No wonder they found the oasis even without my luck. No wonder he said it wasn’t the “first time” I’d done this. Because in my previous life, he had similarly framed me and sentenced me to death for Celeste’s sake. My eyes reddened, and I wiped away my tears. “Astrid, playing the victim won’t work anymore. No matter how capable you are, it’s useless.” “I’ve already had the medical team give Celeste the top-tier genetic enhancer. Her powers will definitely upgrade, helping me become the leader.” I gave a bitter laugh, clutching my constantly cramping abdomen. “I already paved the way for you. But why did you have them force contaminated water on me? Why destroy Zone C and kill my teammates…?” He paused, his brows furrowed. “Don’t talk nonsense. You clearly led your team in a failed breakthrough yesterday, resulting in the entire unit being wiped out.” Sweat streamed down my face from the pain. I grabbed his pant leg, trying to make him look at Leo, the scout, who was still alive on the monitoring screen. His face was filled with disgust, and he impatiently kicked my hand away. “Stop acting. If you want to prove you weren’t trying to harm Celeste, then tomorrow, during the base-wide broadcast, you can personally admit that your abilities were insufficient, that your reconnaissance failed, and that you begged Celeste to share some of her credit with you.” “Then you’ll hand over all your merits and supplies to her and the child she’s carrying, and in the future, you’ll serve as her loyal deputy.” “If you dare to play any more tricks, if you dare to touch a single hair on her head, this time I won’t just deal with you and your useless team—Leo, the one you care about most, won’t get a single dose of anti-infection medicine either.” My eyes widened, staring at Caleb in disbelief: “Caleb, you bastard! Leo was scratched by a zombie while covering me, he’s a hero of the base! How can you threaten me with his life?!” Caleb looked annoyed. “As long as you obediently serve Celeste’s team and take good care of them from now on, I won’t touch him.” With that, he put his arm around Celeste, ready to leave. “Celeste, thank you for finding hope for the base. I’m going to reward you well.” I watched their retreating figures, warm blood continuously seeping from my lower body because of the miscarriage. Professor Albright, a researcher who treated me like his own daughter, rushed over, his face paling when he saw my injuries. “Quickly, get her to treatment! If anything happens to Astrid, I won’t let any of you off!” I was sent to the medical bay, but the healing medic never showed up. Professor Albright, enraged, demanded to know where the medical team assigned to me had gone.

Mia, the assistant, spoke with difficulty. “Professor Albright, all the healing medics in the entire base have been called to Captain Celeste’s room by the Commander. Miss Celeste scratched her finger while testing a weapon, and Commander Caleb is worried something might happen to her, so he’s keeping all the healing medics on standby.” “Right now, there are no healing medics in the entire base.” Professor Albright was furious, constantly making calls. “He’s gone mad! His own wife is critically injured and clinging to life, yet he calls away all her healing medics for some mistress, completely disregarding her fate!” The communicator finally connected after the twentieth attempt. “Is Astrid stirring up trouble again and making you call me to back her up?” Professor Albright shouted excitedly, “Astrid is bleeding internally and has fainted! Several of our brothers in the team are about to die! And you’ve taken away her healing medics! Do you want to kill the base’s elite unit?!” Caleb scoffed, “Did Astrid tell you to call me? Her check-up was perfectly fine, what’s this critically injured and dying act now?” “Alright, alright, I still have Celeste and her team’s victory banquet to attend. She wants healing medics, does she? I’ll send someone over.” Professor Albright hung up the call, gripping my hand tightly. “Don’t be afraid, Astrid, the healing medics will be here soon.” I felt my life force gradually fading. I thought of my previous life, how my teammates were similarly stabbed in the back by Caleb’s team, eaten alive by zombies. I trembled all over, pulling Professor Albright’s hand, and said with difficulty. “Professor Albright, you promised me you’d treat me like your own child. If Caleb didn’t treat me well, you’d help me get away from him.” “I just want to save Leo’s life, and then survive.” Professor Albright was already in tears, saying repeatedly. “After Caleb was saved by you, he loved you so much. It’s all that vile creature, Celeste’s, doing. If she hadn’t suddenly appeared, you two wouldn’t have ended up like this.” I gave a tragic smile. How could a life-and-death companion, who once fought alongside me, become like this? The man who, after repelling zombies, would blush and say he’d face life and death with me, swearing that if he ever betrayed me, he’d die a horrible death, with no corpse left behind. Now, for another woman, he abandoned me without a second thought. “Please, Professor Albright.” I gritted out each word. Listening to my plea, Professor Albright finally nodded. “Tomorrow, I will announce that you are the sole power-user of Zone C. As for that ungrateful beast, I will no longer assist him!” Professor Albright immediately left to deal with the matter. I lay on the medical bed, the sharp pain in my abdomen surging like a tide. Professor Albright’s young assistant, Mia, anxiously kept hoping the healing medics sent by Caleb would arrive. Finally, someone came. But it wasn’t a healing medic; it was a logistics orderly. Seeing the bloody scene in the medical bay, he handed over a few bandages and a bottle of expired disinfectant. “Commander Caleb said it’s just a minor injury, nothing life-threatening. He told you to deal with it yourselves and stop bothering him with such disgusting things.” Mia cried and smashed the box. “Astrid, I’ll take you and the brothers to another base right now. You have to hold on.” My vision went black, and I finally passed out. When I woke up again, it was to a bucket of ice-cold snow water being abruptly poured over me. Caleb’s face, full of disgust, loomed before me. “You’re awake, stop faking it.” He looked down at me. “You know I’m about to announce the oasis and Celeste’s achievements, yet you’re making a scene about going to my enemy base. You just want everyone to think Celeste is bullying you, don’t you?” Celeste, clutching a report, stood behind him, tears streaming down her face, looking utterly pathetic. “Astrid, I know you hate me. But it’s okay to get revenge on me, why did you have Professor Albright try to steal my credit?”

“That assistant was still screaming that I was a vile creature before they dragged her away, saying I didn’t deserve to be the savior’s partner…” I opened my mouth, but not a single word escaped my throat. I could only shake my head with all my strength, trembling as I pleaded, “I… I didn’t… Send me to the medical bay… The brothers… They can’t hold on much longer…” “You’re lying again!” Caleb impatiently furrowed his brow. “Professor Albright rallied her old subordinates overnight and even found the base’s records officer. Wasn’t it you instigating her from behind? You think by stealing Celeste’s credit, you can secure the second-in-command position at the base?” Celeste cried and pleaded in his arms, “Astrid, I beg you, please don’t separate Caleb and me… If you really insist on taking my credit, I’ll just run out of the base alone and die in the zombie horde!” She made a move as if to run, and Caleb immediately held her tight. He was enraged, and he kicked my stomach again. “How many times have I warned you not to bully Celeste, but you just won’t listen! Since that’s the case, I’ll have to resort to special measures.” He suddenly turned and coldly ordered his personal guard. “She forced Celeste to run into the zombie horde, so she should pay the price. Go, shut down Professor Albright’s lab’s purification system, and throw the people out of the research facility!” “Caleb!” I shrieked, tearing my throat. “You’re insane! That’s Professor Albright! Her research is for all humanity!!” “So what?!” Caleb scoffed. “To get you into the command structure, she forced me to marry you. Now you’re a captain, and I’ve even let you command your own unit. If you couldn’t find the oasis, that’s your own uselessness. I’ve repaid my debt of gratitude, I don’t owe you anything anymore!” “Do it!” I frantically lunged at the personal guard, trying to stop them, but I was brutally kicked to the ground. The wound on my abdomen, which had barely stopped bleeding, burst open from the violent impact, gushing like a broken dam, instantly staining the floor beneath me crimson. I screamed in agony, my throat raw, curling into a ball. Caleb was about to drag me further, but then he suddenly saw the pool of crimson on the floor, and his face went white. He instinctively stopped, turning to Celeste and demanding. “What happened?! I told you to take care of her and her pregnancy, why is she still bleeding?!” Celeste’s face also changed slightly. But her eyes darted, and she quickly squeezed out tears. “I’ve always taken good care of Astrid… This is the medical report they did for her yesterday.” She handed over the report, her voice choked. “The report says she only has superficial wounds, and her bodily functions and the baby are all perfectly normal.” Caleb snatched the report. He only scanned it once, and he believed it. The next second, he furiously lifted me from the ground and violently threw me onto the cold, hard metal floor. My head slammed down hard, and blood instantly gushed out. “You dared to lie to me?!” He growled, “To make me soft, you can even fake a miscarriage?! How disgusting, how utterly vile!” “You thought I’d fall for it this time? Dream on!” He raised his leg, kicking my abdomen mercilessly, again and again. Blood mixed with screams splattered with every impact. “Ah… no… no…” I pleaded, almost tearing my throat, but my body grew colder and colder. Until I had no strength left to even beg, only able to curl up in my own pool of blood. He wiped his blood-stained boots and turned to Celeste, his face full of apology. “I’m sorry, Celeste, for making you smell this disgusting odor. I’ll deal with her right away. Once it’s done, I’ll fly you to the oasis to see the scenery, as compensation for my mistake, okay?” Celeste, however, shook her head tearfully, her voice pitiful. “Forget it. Astrid hates me so much. What if you leave with me, and she immediately comes up with a new way to sabotage me?” “Otherwise, I’ll just take my team and leave. I’ll even let her have the credit.” She spoke cautiously, utterly wronged, yet it perfectly struck Caleb’s nerve. His face instantly turned as dark as night, his voice gentle but chillingly cold: “Don’t worry, I won’t give her any more chances to harm you.” He waved his hand: “Lock her in the containment cell outside the base. Once I officially announce Celeste as the discoverer of the oasis tomorrow, then release her.”

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At my younger brother Brandon’s graduation party, he was absolutely beaming, declaring he was going to make a fortune this summer. “I’m going to start a live stream and become an influencer! I’m going to take on the ‘one hundred girls home’ challenge!” Recently, many people were doing this challenge, and the views were great. Plus, Brandon had just been accepted into a top-tier university, so everyone rushed to flatter him, praising his intelligence and innovative ideas. But I’d seen those videos. They called it “escorting girls home,” but in reality, it was just stalking and harassment. In my previous life, I was the only one who disagreed. I tried to convince Brandon that chasing this kind of viral trend would seriously blow up in his face, and he might even get his university admission revoked. But my mom slapped me. “You’re just jealous your brother is smarter than you!” Brandon’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “Sis, you just can’t stand that I’m more successful than you.” To stop him, I paid for and arranged a graduation trip for him, finally making him give up the idea. But just a few days later, those who took on the challenge blew up. Brandon started to resent me. He followed me after I finished working late, and under the cover of night, he pushed me into the river. I drowned. My parents claimed I’d accidentally fallen and drowned, then hastily buried me. After I died, my soul watched them laughing, celebrating that they had finally gotten rid of me, the obstacle holding them back from striking it rich. Reborn, I was back at Brandon’s graduation party. This time, I just offered a faint smile. “Oh, Brandon’s the smartest, absolutely.” 1 “Seriously? Didn’t you just say that was a terrible idea?” “What? Are you going to be so fake and wishy-washy even in front of your own family?” My mom looked at me with contempt, her voice dripping with scorn. My dad chimed in, sarcastically, “Oh, honey, just ignore her. This daughter of ours has no conscience. We might as well consider her a lost cause.” After dying once, I found myself much calmer than in my previous life. Before, I would have desperately tried to prove I was a good daughter and that I truly cared about Brandon’s well-being. But now, I just smiled politely. My brother, Brandon, saw my indifference and started wailing dramatically: “Everyone, she’s my own sister! Why is she so jealous of me? How can she be so cold-hearted?!” Encouraged by his performance, a chorus of relatives began to speak up: “Aster, you were indeed the only one who made it into a top-tier university in our family, but now Brandon is more promising. Don’t think you’re so special anymore!” “See? I told you. Girls just aren’t as good as boys; they’re not as smart and tend to be ungrateful leeches.” I looked around at them. They all seemed to have forgotten… When Uncle Ben was sick, I paid for his treatment; when Aunt Carol’s son needed money for a down payment on a house, I helped him raise it; when Aunt Sarah’s daughter couldn’t get into school, I pulled strings to find her a place. Even Brandon’s acceptance into a top-tier university was because I diligently tutored him for three years, helping him go from average to the top of his class. And anyway, if my dad hadn’t insisted I go buy fruit for Brandon on the day of my college entrance exam, how would I have been late? How would I, who was always number one in the entire city, have performed so poorly that my scores ended up being lower than Brandon’s? I closed my eyes. Before, I always lied to myself, convincing myself that they loved me too, maybe they just didn’t know how to express it. Sure enough, it’s hard for children to admit their parents don’t love them. I opened my eyes again. Thankfully, the Aster who craved family affection was already dead. I spoke calmly, almost nonchalantly, “Everyone…” I noticed my parents and Brandon staring at me intently, their faces full of schadenfreude. This scene was all too familiar. They often did this, blaming me back and forth, then watching me frantically try to defend myself like a lunatic. Then they could tell everyone I had mental issues, using it as an excuse to continue suppressing me. But this time, I offered a small smile. “Everyone, please don’t be upset. If Brandon wants to escort a hundred girls home, let him.” “You’re right. Brandon’s exam scores were higher than mine. He must be smarter.” 2 I noticed my mom’s expression instantly dimmed, and my dad pursed his lips. They were so disappointed that they hadn’t managed to drive me crazy and make a fool of me in front of everyone. My parents could still control their expressions, but Brandon couldn’t. He was too young. He looked a little flustered. “Aster, what do you mean by that?! Are you being sarcastic?! Do you think I won’t get famous?!” “I’m telling you, once I get famous and rich, everyone here today will be living the good life with me, except for you!” The relatives and friends present burst into laughter. Aunt Carol said, “Brandon, your aunt doesn’t want anything from you, but I just hope that when you make it big, you’ll help out my son’s kids.” Aunt Sarah smiled too. “Brandon, my daughter’s grades have always been a struggle. Why don’t you tutor her, perhaps?” “Your aunt won’t make you work for free. I’ll give you a red envelope.” Aunt Sarah pulled out a thick red envelope. Seeing this, many others also pulled out red envelopes for Brandon. These weren’t gifts for my parents; they were specifically for Brandon. Brandon held his head high, glancing at me triumphantly. My parents were also beaming with pride. I couldn’t help but remember my own graduation party a few years ago. Back then, no one valued me so highly, and no one gave me red envelopes. Instead, they all presumed I would become an ungrateful wretch, constantly reminding me to remember family affection and not to forget my family once I got a boyfriend. I still remember feeling like I was on pins and needles then. It was supposed to be a celebratory graduation party, but I was on the verge of tears from the injustice. I sneered inwardly. This time, I’d make sure they saw what a *real* ungrateful leech looked like. My parents and Brandon basked in others’ flattery, enjoying their moment of glory. Let them be proud for a while. I remembered clearly that not long after I died in my last life, those who were escorting girls home late at night did indeed face backlash. Many media outlets stepped in to criticize the phenomenon. If Brandon became one of them, would any university still accept him? After collecting all the red envelopes, Brandon turned to me. “Sis, where’s *your* red envelope?” I feigned surprise. “Why would you think I’d give you one?” “Don’t you know I’m cold-hearted? Don’t Mom, Dad, and all our relatives know I’m an ungrateful leech with no conscience?” This was the first time I had ever refused my family money. Everyone looked stunned, frozen in place. Before they could react, I stood up and walked away. I’d had enough of this place. As I reached the door, I heard Brandon’s furious roar behind me: “Aster! Don’t you ever think you’ll get a single dime from me in the future!” Everyone present started echoing his words. I scoffed. These people were flattering Brandon just to invest in a potential goldmine, hoping for double the profits. But trying to make money off someone with Brandon’s despicable character was like dancing with the devil. 3 Just a few days later, Brandon started his live streams. Brandon specifically targeted young, pretty girls, and the comments in his stream were utterly disgusting. But it was clear these girls didn’t want to be escorted by a stranger. They looked terrified, stumbling as they tried to run away, yet the number of viewers in his stream kept soaring. In the family SnapChat group, messages popped up one after another. “Brandon’s only been streaming for three days and he already has so many viewers!” My mom replied proudly, “Of course! He already has over ten thousand followers!” My dad also said, “Yeah! Brandon is just so much better than his sister!” How boring… I was about to turn off my phone when a private message from my mom popped up. “Your Grandma Rose is sick. If you still have any conscience, come see her.” My heart clenched instantly. When I was little, my parents were always busy. Grandma Rose raised me. But after Brandon was born, they suddenly weren’t busy anymore. When I felt lost because of my parents’ indifference, Grandma Rose was there, holding me, comforting me. Grandma Rose always said that no matter what my parents thought, she would always love me the most. I took a day off and went to Grandma Rose’s little house. Grandma Rose’s eyes welled up when she saw me. She said weakly, “Aster, Grandma is fine, just a little high blood pressure. You taking time off will just delay your work.” “It’s fine, Grandma. But your blood pressure was stable, wasn’t it? Why did it suddenly go up?” Grandma Rose sighed. It turned out that on the day of Brandon’s graduation party, Grandma Rose had seen me being bullied by everyone and was so anxious and angry that she fainted shortly after I left. My heart ached. Even for Grandma Rose, I had to find a way to get rid of these parasitic relatives. At dinner time, everyone at the table was loudly chatting. Brandon boasted to me, “Sis, I’m really going to blow up. Go check out my follower count now!” “Sis, I’ll let the red envelope thing slide from my graduation party.” “Now, if you give me ten thousand, I’ll use it to boost my content, and I’ll count you as an investor, how about that?” I shook my head. “I’m not interested.” “Brandon, if I really partnered with you, Mom and Dad would probably be worried sick every day, wondering if I, this ungrateful leech, would scheme against their precious son.” My dad slammed his fork down, ready to curse at me. But my mom glanced at a frail Grandma Rose and stopped my dad with her eyes. My dad quieted down, but Uncle Ben started acting pompous again. “Aster, everyone at this table is your flesh and blood, your closest family! You can’t be so petty with your own relatives!” “You young people nowadays are so selfish, not as righteous as us older folks!” Aunt Sarah chimed in, “My brother’s right. You have to have a spirit of dedication to your family. It’s just a little money you need to invest!” I was mindful of Grandma Rose and didn’t want to start a conflict with them. I mentally told myself to just pretend they were talking nonsense! Uncle Ben, with the alcohol kicking in, got even more excited: “What’s wrong with investing a little money in Brandon? Brandon isn’t an outsider!” “How many people in this world can truly treat you well? Only the few of us at this table, right?” “If you ask me, forget investing money! Even if Brandon loses it all, so what?! That’s family love!” I had reached my limit. I was about to retort… Just then, “Uncle Ben! Why don’t *you* invest in me then?!” Brandon’s eyes lit up as he looked at Uncle Ben. Uncle Ben froze instantly, his drunken eyes clearing up. “Uh… I…” Uncle Ben stammered. I almost burst out laughing. Brandon then turned to Aunt Sarah, who quickly looked down. But Brandon spoke anyway. “Aunt Sarah, you should invest a little too!” Aunt Sarah’s body stiffened. Brandon didn’t seem to care about their current awkwardness, talking to himself: “Thank you, Uncle Ben! Thank you, Aunt Sarah! I, Brandon, am so lucky! To have such loyal and devoted elders!” Uncle Ben and Aunt Sarah exchanged glances, their faces thunderous. At that moment, my parents quickly refilled Uncle Ben’s and Aunt Sarah’s glasses, ready to toast them. My dad said, “Our Brandon is a top-tier university student! You can invest with confidence! He’ll never lose it!” My mom wiped away fake tears. “Indeed, no one can be relied on but my own brother and sister! Not even my own daughter!” Uncle Ben and Aunt Sarah were completely cornered, gritting their teeth and nodding. At this point, Aunt Laura and Uncle Gary’s faces were even darker than the bottom of a pot. 4 I lowered my head, hiding the smile I couldn’t suppress. Just then, a sharp pain shot through my waist. My mom had pinched me hard. She leaned in close and whispered, “Even so, you still have to give your brother ten thousand!” “Otherwise, I’ll tell everyone you’re unfilial! You can just wait to be dragged through the mud and face online hate!” A chill ran down my spine. I didn’t care about what people said, but how much did she truly despise me? To go to such lengths against me? I vaguely nodded. Seeing my nod, she smiled with satisfaction. Ha, I just didn’t want to cause a scene in front of Grandma Rose. If I actually gave them money, wouldn’t I just sink deeper into this swamp of a family? After leaving Grandma Rose’s house, I immediately blocked all my relatives, including my parents and Brandon. And I didn’t forget to leave the family SnapChat group. Then, I quickly found a new place to live and moved in. After settling everything, my heart gradually calmed down. But I couldn’t understand why Brandon’s follower count was growing so fast and steadily. Did he even need to boost his content? And he’d received so many red envelopes at his graduation party, why did he still need so much money? Thinking this, I opened his live stream again. The girl Brandon picked this time looked quite young, still carrying a school backpack, probably only sixteen or seventeen. When she realized Brandon was following her, her face instantly turned incredibly pale. The girl quickened her pace. Seeing the girl try to escape, Brandon lunged and blocked her path. He smiled maliciously. “Why are you running, little sister? Do I look like a bad guy?” The girl tried to stay calm. “Get lost! I’ve seen enough creeps like you, and I’m not afraid!” The comments scrolled rapidly. “Good intentions wasted on an ungrateful person,主播 quickly teach her a lesson!” “This girl is such a jerk, can’t even take a joke.” Seeing that the girl had riled up the audience, Brandon smiled. “Little sister, I’m not a bad guy. I want to escort you home.” “I see you’re probably in high school, right? I just graduated from senior year.” He said smugly, “Plus, I’ve been accepted into a top-tier university. I could even come to your house and tutor you!” As Brandon said this, the comments exploded with excitement. “The streamer got into a top-tier university? This girl must be dumbfounded!” “This girl is so ungrateful! It’s an honor for a top-tier university student to offer to escort her!” The girl wasn’t buying any of it. She shoved Brandon hard and ran off. The comments became even more frenzied. “Hahahaha streamer, chase her! Chase her!” My anger flared. How pathetic must these people’s lives be to need to terrorize a girl late at night to prove their strength? Gift effects popped up one after another, and Brandon chased with increasing enthusiasm. I reached out and clicked “Report.” Just then, a sharp screech of tires pierced the air, and the girl fell to the ground. Brandon stopped abruptly, and his pale face was reflected on the screen. Comments scrolled wildly, and Brandon immediately ended the live stream. At that moment, I finally recognized the girl. She was the daughter of my company’s CEO, and he was the wealthiest person in the city. I quickly dialed 91 That night, I was sleepless. The next day at work, I found a layoff notice on the company HR computer that hadn’t been issued yet. My name was on it. Immediately after, my phone rang suddenly. It was an unfamiliar number. I answered, and the voice on the other end was harsh and shrill. It was my parents. Their numbers were blocked, so they had gotten a new one to call me. “Aster! Go find your CEO right now! Whatever you have to do! Fix this for your brother!” “That girl isn’t even dead! She just got a little hurt! Why should your brother’s future be ruined because of that?!” “Your CEO thinks so highly of you, doesn’t he?! Go sleep with him! You *have* to save your brother!” I hung up, my heart growing colder and colder. I no longer hesitated. I walked to the CEO’s office and knocked on the door. 5 After I went to see the CEO, Brandon really wasn’t held responsible, and I wasn’t fired either. Grandma Rose called me, extremely worried.

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I nurtured a beastman bodyguard with my own lifeblood. Six years. I loved him, cherished him, poured out every ounce of my heart, only to get one answer: “Don’t even think about taming me.” During the Creature Uprising, he shielded another girl, leaving me to be trampled. He was *my* bodyguard. Yet he always left me behind. He even used his scorpion tail to constrict my throat, forcing me to give my blood to save that girl. He didn’t know that every drop of blood I shed diminished my life force. He also didn’t know it was the last of my lifespan. “Anya, I swear I’ll make it up to you. Please, save her.” The proud creature finally bowed, acknowledging me as his master. My fingers slowly became transparent. “But… we don’t have a future.” His scorpion tail thrashed wildly, his eyes glazed over with primal rage. He’d gone feral. “Chloe…” Even then, he called her name. I let him bite into my arm. Only when my blood touched his throat did he slowly calm down. “Thank you…” I didn’t whine or complain like I usually would. Instead, I pushed him away, wiping the remaining blood on a nearby plant. The withered leaves instantly revived. And my life force dwindled further. “I’m moving closer to the lab. You’re my bodyguard, so you’re coming with me.” Kael froze. “But…” “I feed you with my blood every month, not so you can handle her heat cycles.” His chest was covered in love bites. I forced my gaze away, my eyes stinging. The accusation almost spilled from my lips. But it twisted, turning into a threat. “Don’t forget your duties. If anything happens to me, the Federation won’t let you off.” In this fractured world, after the great creature upheaval, food crops were on the brink of extinction. I was the Federation’s only botanist. “Understood.” Kael lowered his gaze. “I’ll head out then.” As he reached the door, I called out to him. “Kael, what do you think we are to each other?” He paused. His broad shoulders shrugged, taut, golden-bronze muscles tensed. At his waist, there was the indelible brand of a rejected specimen. If I hadn’t spent half my life saving him, he would have died long ago. “Employer and bodyguard.” “You provide the blood, I protect you.” The answer I expected. No matter how much I gave, his heart would never have a single corner for me. Why force it? He was never my Liam. He wouldn’t cherish me like I was the most precious thing in the world. No matter how much he looked like him, he wasn’t. Tears blurred my vision. I tried to wipe them away, but my fingertips were already turning transparent. “I might not be able to pay your salary anymore.” I was fading fast. Kael didn’t take me seriously. “Then I’ll find a new gig.” He strode away, leaving the door ajar and me to my quiet sobs. I always joked with him. But this time, it was real.

When I woke up, Kael was already geared up and waiting by the main entrance. “Your clothes are all here. Files are sorted.” He frowned slightly, his strong, elegant fingers brushing aside a stray lock of hair as he meticulously checked the luggage. “Your calming diffuser was a bit damp, so I didn’t bring it. I’ll get you a new one later.” “The plushie, I bagged it separately…” “Throw it out,” I said flatly. That plushie was a gift from Kael. He was originally going to give it to Chloe, but she rejected it, so he passed it off to me. The ridiculous part was, I cherished it. Kael paused. “Why?” It was the first time he hadn’t obeyed my command. “Didn’t you like it a lot? Keep it…” “Brother Kael!” Chloe’s light footsteps echoed as she ran into the yard, throwing herself into Kael’s arms. “Thank you for yesterday! I came to express my gratitude.” Kael stiffened, his hands unsure where to go. His ears, out of Chloe’s sight, were flushed and hot. His scorpion tail hovered high, as if afraid of accidentally hurting her. I glanced at the back of my hand. It had been brushed by a venomous barb last night. It was red and swollen, looking like it might break the skin. Perhaps I was used to it; I didn’t even feel the pain. “Oh? Isn’t this the doll I didn’t want?” Chloe picked up the beautifully wrapped plushie, examining it. “How did it get here?” “Did you give it to Anya?” Kael glanced at me. He hesitated slightly. “Uh… no.” I turned my face away, my hands, hanging at my sides, unconsciously clenching. He said, “I left it at home and forgot to throw it out. It’s just garbage.” With a flick of his scorpion tail, the plushie was flung into the trash. Its plush face, still smiling, rolled into the grime, becoming saturated with its foul wetness. “I knew it! Why would you give my unwanted garbage to Anya?” Kael caught sight of my pale face, his pupils trembled, then he quickly looked away. I couldn’t tell if it was guilt or perhaps a flicker of pity. He was afraid Chloe would misunderstand. So, he chose to hurt me. Of course, there was no comparison between us. Even a gift had to be something she didn’t want. I unclenched my hands. Several crescent-shaped indents marred my palms. “Throw out the luggage. I’ll buy new stuff.” “I don’t want any of it.” I looked at Kael. “Not even you. I don’t want you anymore.”

I applied to the Federation for a new bodyguard. “Are you sure?” “Kael cost you half your life to save.” Director Thorne chuckled. “Ms. Anya, the food crops in the North District are growing exceptionally well. Want to take a look?” “It cost you half your blood.” “And where you begged and pleaded on your knees with the High Council, grass has now grown. That beastman doesn’t know that, does he?” “A failed genetic experiment like him, why would he be worth your life?” “Oh, I forgot, he looks just like Ms. Anya’s childhood best friend. No wonder…” I had made up my mind. I would replace Kael and never get involved with him again. The next day, my new bodyguard from the Federation arrived. It was Ryker, the Alpha Guard, even taller than Kael, his snowy white tail curled around his luggage. “Greetings, Ms. Anya.” I cleared out the room I’d prepared for Kael and let the Alpha Guard move in. Just as I was briefing him on his duties, the doorbell rang. I didn’t answer. Kael waited outside for a while, assuming no one was home, and then tried to punch in the code himself. “Access Denied—” He thought he misheard. He tried again. “Access Denied.” He started pounding on the door. Annoyed, I sent the Alpha Guard to deal with him. A thunderous crash shook the entire house. I rushed out and saw Kael and Ryker locked in a violent struggle, neither giving an inch, the front door ripped off its hinges. “Stop!” Kael looked up, jealousy practically dripping from him. His scorpion tail powerfully plunged into Ryker’s side. A muffled grunt, and the Alpha Guard sagged, his skin visibly bruising. “Are you insane!” I slapped Kael across the face. His head snapped to the side, several drops of blood flying. Only then did I notice the raw, bleeding gouge on the back of his head where Ryker had clawed him. “Who is he?” Kael stared intently at the other man. “My new bodyguard.” I helped Ryker, quickly cut my arm, and fed my blood to him. Kael’s eyes turned bloodshot. “*I’m* your bodyguard.” His defiant stance crumbled. He stood frozen, looking lost, especially without my response. Even his scorpion tail drooped. “I am your bodyguard…” “You can’t protect me,” I said coldly. “Get out.” He stood rooted to the spot. Perhaps realizing how awful he’d been, he muttered something, his lips barely moving, unable to utter a single word of protest. “I can…” “I’ll protect you properly from now on, I’ll protect you with my life…” Kael’s reflection stared back from the glass, his jaw tight, his gaze locked on me. He didn’t even flinch, despite the blood running into his eyes. “Just give me one more chance.” Ryker woke up, shoved me aside, and bolted for the door as if a venomous barb was still chasing him. “Anya, no one’s better suited for this job than me,” Kael took a step forward. “I *can* protect you.” I was silent for a moment. Then I looked at him. “You said, ‘with your life’.” Kael nodded frantically. “I promise.”

I could feel my life force draining. An inexplicable weariness settled over me. My sleep lengthened, and even the plants in the lab barely responded to my control anymore. “I’m tired. I’m heading back.” “Of course, Doctor.” Kael was waiting just outside the lab. He slipped the heating pad he’d been holding for ages into my arms, said nothing, and deliberately walked on the windward side, shielding me from the drifting snow. “Cough, cough—” I coughed violently. The recent experiment had drained a huge amount of energy from me. I could barely stand. As soon as I got home, I started running a fever. Kael used cold water to wipe my body down, over and over. “Liam…” Burning with fever, my vision blurred, my hand lightly brushed Kael’s cheek. “I love you so much…” He suddenly grabbed my hand. “The Liam you called… was it me?” “Who is this Liam?” I closed my eyes, drifting into sleep. Kael kept pressing. “Don’t ask. You’re Liam, okay? Just stop…” He let out a shaky breath, the tension visibly draining from his shoulders. He pulled out the photo he had hidden in his pocket. He examined it closely. The man’s face was identical to his own, but Kael couldn’t remember ever taking such a picture. “Maybe I forgot.” He mumbled to himself. He pulled up the blanket, only for his attention to be caught by my semi-transparent hand. Kael’s heart jolted. He blinked, and my hand looked normal again. *Ding—* A notification sound broke his thoughts. “Brother Kael, you haven’t come to see me in ages…” Chloe was slurring, clearly wasted. “If you don’t come soon, I’ll be whisked away…” Kael threw on his jacket and moved to leave. I grabbed him. “Don’t go. Stay and take care of me. I feel awful…” “I’m going to die…” He pulled free. “Don’t talk nonsense.” “Chloe has an emergency. I have to go to her first.” His back was resolute. He never lingered for me, not even for a second. He was *my* bodyguard, yet he always left me behind. He had promised to protect me with his life. Kael, I believed you again and again. Chloe’s words were true. “If the Federation hadn’t forced him, he wouldn’t be your bodyguard.” “Brother Kael cares about me the most, Anya. Even if you died right in front of him, he wouldn’t feel an ounce of pity.” “You’re just a burden to him.” Whether it was during the Creature Uprising three years ago, when he abandoned me in the eye of the storm, or three years later, when I told him I was dying. Kael never truly cared. I called my assistant. “Take out the blood I had stored for Kael’s sustenance.” “Yes, give it to the North District. Let them use it to grow food.” I wouldn’t leave him a single thing.

It was a rare moment of free time, so I went to a bar alone. Most of the patrons were beastmen. Seeing a pure-blooded human like me, they couldn’t help but be curious, gravitating towards my table one by one. “Hey, sis.” A young man sat beside me, his yellow ears perked up. “Let’s hang out.” “I’ll teach you a game we play in the beastman world…” His tail unconsciously wrapped around my arm, soft and fluffy, feeling nice to the touch. “Are you a cat?” He paused, then smiled, revealing sharp teeth. “Yeah, do you like it? A lot of people…” Before he could finish, someone grabbed him by the throat and lifted him. The young man was about to get angry. But when he saw a venomous barb hovering before his eyes, he deflated instantly. Kael’s posture was commanding; just standing there, he kept many other beastmen at bay. The lights were dim, so I couldn’t make out his expression, but the veins on his neck were clearly prominent. “He’s not a cat. He’s a leopard.” “It’s dangerous out here. How could you travel alone? Or is he your new bodyguard?” I stared straight at Kael. “Put him down, then get out.” An invisible pressure spread through the bar. Kael took a deep breath and threw the young man onto the floor. He didn’t leave. Instead, he approached me. “We’re going home.” “The sector’s energy fluctuations have been unpredictable lately. Be careful of uprisings.” “What uprising?” someone scoffed. “General Liam Beckett is coming back soon! Who’d dare cause trouble then?” I instinctively looked towards the bar entrance. No one. A wave of disappointment washed over me. Kael saw it clearly. His heart inexplicably swelled with irritation. “Let’s go.” He reached for me. Suddenly, Leo lunged, biting Kael’s arm, tearing at it. Immediately after, red-eyed beastmen poured in from all sides of the bar, attacking anything alive, especially pure-blooded humans. Countless eyes stared at me with hunger. If Kael dared to leave, I would be torn to shreds. “Brother Kael!” Chloe crouched in a corner, tears streaming down her face. “I’m scared!” Fueled by pure survival instinct, I clung to Kael’s clothes, my fingernails bent backwards, drawing blood. “Protect me! You’re *my* bodyguard!” He tried to pull free. “Don’t you dare! If you leave me, I’ll have Director Thorne kill both you and Chloe!” Kael hesitated. In that moment, Chloe was tackled by a large beast. “Chloe!” I don’t remember much of what happened next. All I know is, Kael left me again. It hurt so much. I was bleeding profusely. Herbivore creatures scrambled for the wild growth sprouting from the floor, while carnivores greedily lapped at my wounds. A flash of white light. Time seemed to stand still. The next second, all the beastmen collapsed to the ground. I was lifted. “Anya, hold on to me.” Light shone on his face. Was it Kael? No. He wasn’t this gentle. He didn’t call me ‘Anya’ with such tenderness, nor would he hold me in his arms like this. “Liam…” “I’m here.” When I woke up, I was already lying at home. All my wounds had vanished. “Liam?” Barefoot, I searched every room. No one. It was as if it had all been a dream.

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When I was seven, I got lost in the mountains with my parents and was raised by a community living wild in the mountains. At fifteen, my parents found me. But I couldn’t fit into human society. It was my twin sister who patiently guided me. When my wild side flared up, hurting people and getting me ostracized, She shielded me with her frail body, took a beating so bad she coughed up blood, and was left with a chronic illness from that day on. For her, I pushed myself to study, got into a top university, and joined a special department thanks to my ability to communicate with animals. At twenty-three, My sister excitedly told me, “Sis, I really love him.” “He took 99 lashes for me; we’re going to be so happy.” But less than a month later, I received a video from my parents. My sister, covered in wounds, her face a pulpy mess, lay in a coffin, her severed limbs beside her. In that moment, my long-suppressed wildness exploded. All I wanted was to find the person who killed my sister and rip them to shreds!

When I arrived at the scene, my sister, her eyes frozen open in terror, lay silently in the coffin. The coffin lid next to her was covered in countless scratch marks, swirling in patterns. They screamed of how much pain and despair my sister had endured before she died. It was as if her cries for help were right there, echoing. “Sis, save me!” “I’m sorry.” All my strength drained, and I collapsed to my knees, my veins throbbing as my hands clawed at the dirt. Sharp pebbles cut into my palms, and only that searing, agonizing pain kept me from losing all sanity. Slowly, I pieced her broken body parts back together. “You beasts! The Blackwood family has gone too far!” My parents, who arrived shortly after, roared in heart-wrenching anguish at the sight. My mother even had a heart attack and passed out on the spot. She couldn’t even attend the funeral. In the mourning hall, My dad kept whispering to my sister. “Don’t trust men so easily over there, especially those who talk big but do nothing.” “What a nuisance. Why would he call me to a place like this?” A man’s impatient shouts drifted in from outside. My dad, roaring with grief and fury, snatched up the nearest heavy object and stormed out. “Brandon Blackwood, give me back my daughter’s life!” I immediately followed, seeing the man from my sister’s wedding photo, Brandon, with his fingers intertwined with another woman’s. That woman bore a faint resemblance to my sister. So he was just using her as a replacement! “Stop acting crazy, old man. Get your daughter out here!” Brandon disgustedly shoved my dad down and stepped on his face. “She’s dead! You’ll never see her again in this lifetime!” The woman next to Brandon giggled. “What a joke. Earlier, Sister was locked in with a venomous snake for three days, not only did she not die, but she acted disgusting, like she was with the snake.” “I advised her not to mess around with animals, but she didn’t listen and even pushed me. “Brandon was just thinking of teaching her a lesson by sending her to a monastery to reflect.” Hearing this, Brandon’s face turned terrifyingly dark. “That disgraceful slut! Was she that desperate?” He looked like he wanted to slice my sister into a thousand pieces with his eyes alone. “She made me lose all face with the Blackwood family!” Then, he looked around, raising his voice. “Cassidy, if you don’t show yourself, I’ll chop your dad into pieces and feed him to the dogs!” Having lived with all sorts of animals for so long, I’d seen countless times how out-of-control predators ripped apart their prey. Now, I saw that same savagery in Brandon. If I didn’t make myself known, he really would kill my dad in the most cruel and vicious way. “Dad.” I mimicked my sister’s manner, helping my dad up. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have doubted Brandon and Seraphina’s relationship.” Then, I turned and knelt, begging through tears. “Brandon, I know I’ve been bad. Please let me come home.” Brandon squatted down, his cold fingers brushing my cheek. “That’s more like it. As long as you’re obedient, the position of Mrs. Blackwood will always be yours.” I nodded hard, then told my dad to take care before hurrying to follow the two in front. “Cassidy.” My dad grabbed my hand, trembling all over. “Do… does it have to be this way?” His neck veins bulged as he spoke with effort. A father who had already lost one daughter didn’t want to lose another. My nose stung. For years, my sister had been taking care of them. She always said, “Sister is meant for great things.” “Let this little good-for-nothing take care of Mom and Dad.” “As long as Sister is happy, I’m happy.” But she had no idea that in my heart, she was the little sun that supported me through one danger after another. I never got to say thank you. I had saved so much for her dowry. We’d promised to watch the sunrise ceremony together, but we never went. And now she was gone, her body dismembered! So, even if it meant going through hell and high water, I would get justice for her! “I promise I’ll be fine.” I patted my father’s hand reassuringly, then turned and quickened my pace. Carrying a father’s helpless despair, I embarked on the path of revenge.

As soon as we returned to the Blackwood mansion, Brandon immediately ordered me to kneel and help Seraphina change her shoes. I was barely a second slow when he kicked me, sending me sprawling. “Useless trash! What good are you for? “Are you only good for acting like a slut and serving those animals?” Seraphina whined sweetly, “Brandon, don’t break my servant. Who will fan me when I sleep tonight?” I clenched my fists, my teeth grinding audibly. This was the life my sister had endured! To torment her, Brandon not only made her kneel in the room, listening to him and Seraphina have sex through a screen, Sometimes he even forced my sister to go in and hold Seraphina up so they could complete complicated positions. When they finished, my sister had to clean up their disgusting mess. In the middle of summer, when they could easily have turned on the air conditioning, Seraphina, citing her allergies, made my sister stay up all night, fanning her manually. My sister initially resisted, but the consequence was Brandon taking out his anger on our parents. First, they were falsely accused and suspended from their jobs without cause. Then, the news spread online, and some brainless fanatics harassed my parents in real life. Once, my mother was so traumatized she ended up in the hospital, almost not making it. From then on, my sister never dared to defy Brandon. She clung to life like a dog, barely surviving! She never told me about any of the pain or suffering she endured. Because of my work, I could only talk to her once in a long while. Yet, every time, she was always cheerful, never complaining once. She would even remind me to take care of myself and not worry, saying she would look after Mom and Dad. “This kind of slut would have gone bad ages ago. Everyone said not to take her, but some fortune teller insisted she’d bring wealth to the family.” “My old-fashioned dad forced me to marry her.” Brandon brought it up, looking like he wanted to tear my flesh off. “If it weren’t for her, I’d already be married to the woman I truly love.” “So you never loved her?” Sister, I stared at Brandon, asking each word slowly. My mind replayed my sister’s radiant smile when she said she was getting married. Little did she know that a beast had woven a deadly lie for her, Ending her young life forever in the summer she turned twenty-three. “Why would I care for a clingy leech? Just smelling her made me sick, and she kept dreaming of Cinderella and Prince Charming.” Brandon’s eyes looked at me like I was a maggot. Seraphina pretended to be kind, patting Brandon to signal him to stop, then reached out to me. “Sister, please get up.” I saw malice in her eyes, then brushed her hand away and stood up myself. I looked up, and a painting caught my eye. It was a nude painting of Seraphina. Her pale body lay on vibrant roses, beautiful and alluring. But I felt a chill run through me. Because the roses in that painting were painted with my sister’s blood. She hadn’t slept a wink, except for a brief moment of comfort, and every day she had to let Seraphina draw her blood for painting. If she was even a little slow, Brandon would lock her in a cage and force her to fight for food with wild dogs. Just imagining those scenes made me want to tear the two people in front of me to shreds. “You damn dare to glare at me!” Brandon furiously shoved me, sending me flying. I covered my swollen face, silent for a moment. Suddenly, I grabbed Seraphina. I opened my mouth and bit into the soft flesh of her neck. As she shrieked in terror, I slowly increased the pressure. The taste of blood surged through my nerve endings. Every cell screamed, “Kill her.” Brandon saw my mouth covered in blood and finally reacted. He pulled me off forcefully. I spat the bitten-off piece of flesh onto his face. “Crazy bitch! Send her to the monastery! This time, unless I say so, she can die there for all I care!” Brandon roared, enraged. As I was dragged away, I smiled. I was just looking for an excuse to go back to that place.

The monastery in the desolate mountains wasn’t as simple as it looked; beneath it lay a fully equipped, well-staffed laboratory. It was funded by the Blackwood family, specifically for researching how to extend human lifespan. But their test subjects weren’t animals; they were people! When I arrived, I was locked in a tiny, airtight room. A few burly men, laughing obscenely, entered. “You didn’t die last time, even with all that fun. This time, I’ve got something special.” The man held up a pair of obstetric forceps. My stomach clenched, and a video recording appeared before my eyes. My sister’s hysterical screams instantly pierced my ears. She was tied to a bed, and the man standing between her splayed legs held obstetric forceps, laughing as he pulled and twisted. In that moment, all my blood froze. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. My sweet, obedient sister, the sister who always saved a share for me, the sister who said we’d be sisters forever! She was tortured to death, little by little, by them! “Animals!” I roared, lunging at the man, snatching the forceps, and violently stabbing them into his eye. “Ah!” Blood mixed with shattered bits of eyeball splattered out, and the small room filled with the man’s horrific screams. The others reacted, trying to grab me. But I had been raised by wild people; I’d long since developed immense strength. They outnumbered me, but that just meant it would take one more minute. After knocking everyone down, I grabbed one of them by the collar. “Do you want to live?” The man nodded frantically. “Do exactly what you see in the video to them.” I pointed at the screen still playing on the wall. The men immediately wailed, frantically kowtowing and begging for mercy. “We were just following orders! Please spare us!” “We even tried to persuade him back then, but he cursed at us and said he had to use the most extreme methods to teach you a lesson.” “If you want to settle scores, go after the Blackwoods. He even planned to inject you with a newly developed drug that supposedly makes a person rot into a watery mess, little by little.” “Spare you?” I smiled, toying with a small knife. “Did you show any mercy when you laid hands on me?!” With that, I plunged the knife into the thigh of the man I held. “Do it or not?” The man screamed, “Yes! Yes! W-w-w-w-I’ll do it!” I pulled a chair over and sat down. The man began to act. Screams echoed endlessly in the room. I watched with cold eyes, occasionally whistling. As time passed, the men passed out. Body parts lay on the floor, and the white tiles were stained red. A stench of blood and decay permeated the air, making me sick to my stomach. I pointed at the man who had done the deed. “Clean it up. Don’t let Brandon notice any trace, or your end will be a hundred times worse than theirs.” The man had already witnessed my methods and dared not defy me. He cleaned the scene in the shortest possible time. Soon, the small room was restored to its clean, white state. I lay on the bed, waiting for Brandon’s arrival.

A week later was Mr. Blackwood’s birthday. My sister, as the only publicly acknowledged wife of the Blackwood family, was naturally expected to attend. So Brandon sent people to pick me up. Compared to when I entered, I was so thin the wind could blow me over, and my gaunt face with two hollow, dark eye sockets was especially eerie. Brandon looked pleased. “Looks like you received excellent hospitality.” Brandon lifted my sleeve; my arm was covered in self-inflicted cuts. I had made them to suppress my restless, animalistic urges. Indeed, Brandon smiled even more brightly, grabbing and excitedly kissing Seraphina beside him. They intertwined, making intimate, swallowing sounds. I kept my head bowed, expressionless, calculating how much longer I needed to torture them. The birthday gala was about to begin. Brandon stopped his intimacy with Seraphina just in time. “Darling, I’ll come find you later.” Brandon went to the next room to change. Seraphina stayed behind, circling me. “Still not enough. How about this?” She grabbed my chin, lifting it. “Tonight’s gala has a lot of media here. It would be absolutely scandalous if the Blackwood family’s wife performed a strip show right in front of everyone.” Seraphina clapped excitedly and called Brandon. “Brandon, I’ve thought of something super fun! Come quick!” After hearing Seraphina’s plan, Brandon dotingly praised her. “See? I told you my darling was brilliant.” Seraphina laughed triumphantly, wrapping her arms around Brandon’s waist. “I just worry your dad might not be happy.” “He won’t be. He already has a thing for that piece of trash. We’ll let him have his fun with her later, it’ll make him ecstatic.” Brandon’s gentle voice sounded like a demon’s whisper. In his eyes, my sister was just an object to be discarded at will. Worse than a rat in a sewer. I suppressed my rising fury and stood up. “Who told you to move! Kneel!” Brandon’s face contorted, and he kicked out. I nimbly twisted my body to avoid it. At that moment, someone pushed the door open. They carried a rectangular object wrapped in black cloth. Then they placed it beside me. “Who are you guys? And what is this?” The men carrying the object ignored Brandon, bowing respectfully to me. I waved them off, signaling they could leave. One of them said, “My superiors believe you shouldn’t dirty your hands with such worthless people.” I nodded, indicating I understood. Brandon, seeing them leave, chased after them, cursing a few times. Then he returned, pointing a finger at my nose, demanding, “Those were your lovers, weren’t they?” “How utterly disgusting. You’re just a slut through and through.” I ignored him, pulling back the black cloth. A vibrant red coffin came into view. Under their astonished gazes, I chuckled softly, speaking as if coaxing a three-year-old child. “The hunting game begins now. Welcome to hell!” “Are you insane!” Brandon snapped back, his face darkening as he approached. “What’s the meaning of bringing a coffin to my dad’s birthday?”

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In my past life, I was Emily Foster, the substitute for Alexander Carter’s idealized first love – cherished one moment, discarded the next. Just because a new girl appeared who looked more like his first love, I was ruthlessly abandoned. In the end, I was killed by his new flame. When I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn as my suicidal twin sister. It felt like jumping from one cage into another hell. The good thing was, the substitute for his first love was gone, and now I had become the substitute. Alexander Carter started acting like a clingy puppy that couldn’t be shooed away. As memories flooded back, my head felt like it was about to split open. The last image that flashed before my eyes was Olivia Parker’s smug face. “Emily, don’t blame me. If you have to blame someone, blame yourself for being in the way.” “Alexander loves that face, and I look more like her than you do, don’t I?” “So, just die already.” She laughed as she pushed me off the 30-story building. Seconds later, I was engulfed in darkness. So, I was never more than a shadow of Alexander Carter’s idealized first love. A cheap substitute that could be replaced at any time. A dull ache spread through my chest. I struggled to sit up, looking around the unfamiliar and dilapidated room. The walls were peeling, and the only furniture was an old wooden table and a chair with a broken leg. I stumbled to the only mirror hanging on the wall. The person in the mirror made my pupils constrict. My arms were covered in purple bruises, old injuries layered with new ones. But the facial features were clearly seven or eight tenths similar to mine before I died. Only younger, and more… battered. Who was this? Why was I here? “You lazy brat! What are you dawdling for? Have you washed the dishes yet?!” A woman’s shrill, harsh voice came from outside the door, accompanied by loud banging. I instinctively shrank back, my body’s reflexes carrying deep-seated fear. An obese figure burst through the door, hands on hips, spittle flying as she pointed at me. “Always slacking off! Get your ass to the kitchen and wash those dishes! Do you want to starve?!” I looked at her, my gaze cold. It seemed the heavens hadn’t let me die completely. They had given me a new identity. The original owner of this body was called Mia Foster, an adopted child in this family. The fat woman was her foster mother, Linda. There was also a foster father, Frank, who spent his days idling and either beating or scolding her, and a good-for-nothing brother, Tyler. In this family, Mia was treated like an unpaid servant, living a life worse than a dog’s. Her personality was timid, submissive, even numb. This made it convenient for me to hide my true self. Until that day, when I found an old notebook under the floorboards. It was Mia’s diary. Out of curiosity about the original owner of this body, I opened it. The handwriting was messy, recording years of darkness. “Got beaten again today. My arm hurts so much. Mom said it’s because I was disobedient.” “Tyler stole the five dollars I had secretly saved up. Dad saw and just laughed at me.” “They said I’m an abandoned bastard, eating for free, so I should do all the work.” “I want to die so badly. Would death finally set me free?” Page after page, line after line, all were cries of despair and pain. Long-term physical abuse and mental torture had left her unable to see any light. The last few pages of the diary detailed her plans for suicide. So, I had been reborn because she had actively given up her own life. My chest felt tight. I continued flipping through, and several photos slipped out from the diary. One was a family photo of young Mia with her foster parents and brother. She was timidly hiding in the corner. There were also a few photos of a gentle, beautiful woman holding a baby. That woman’s face… My breath caught sharply. It was my deceased mother! In her diary, Mia had written that she was abandoned, with only a photo of her mother holding her as a keepsake. Combined with this face so similar to mine… A ridiculous thought struck me. Mia Foster was my long-lost twin sister! We were actually twins! I held the photos, tears silently falling. So I wasn’t alone after all. I once had a sister. But she had died in this hell, tortured to death.

From that day on, Mia Foster changed. When Tyler came home drunk again, wanting to get handsy with me like usual, I didn’t dodge. As he approached, I grabbed the ashtray from the table and smashed it against his forehead. He clutched his bleeding forehead, looking at me in disbelief. “You dare hit me?!” I coldly looked at him. “Get lost.” He cursed and charged at me. I dodged to the side, simultaneously knocking out a small packet of white powder hidden in his pocket. His face changed drastically as he hurriedly tried to pick it up. I didn’t give him the chance, immediately calling the police on my phone. “Hello, police? I’d like to report drug use and illegal gambling.” When Tyler was taken away by the police, his eyes were full of hatred. Linda and Frank naturally took out their anger on me. Linda pointed at my nose and cursed, “You ungrateful bitch! You jinx! How dare you hurt your brother!” Frank raised his hand to hit me. I didn’t dodge, instead meeting his gaze and speaking. “Dad, you didn’t come home last night. Were you at that widow Jenny’s house down the street?” “I saw you, you know. She had her arms around your neck, calling you ‘darling’.” Frank’s face instantly turned pale, his raised hand frozen in mid-air. Linda was stunned for a moment, then pounced on Frank like a madwoman, scratching and hitting. “You bastard, Frank! How dare you cheat on me!” “I’ll kill you!” The house instantly descended into chaos. The news of her husband’s affair was enough to keep Linda occupied for a while. She wouldn’t have the energy to cause me trouble for now. I coldly watched all this, feeling no ripples in my heart. This was just the beginning. Using Emily Foster’s memories from my past life, I had accumulated some knowledge and insight into the financial markets. I used the little money Mia had secretly saved as seed capital and made a few short-term trades in the stock market. Luck was on my side, and I earned my first chunk of startup capital. I kept quiet about it, secretly moving out and renting a small studio apartment in the city. I bought a few well-fitting clothes and applied light makeup. The girl in the mirror had shed her previous timidity and dullness. Though still thin, her eyes were calm and sharp. This face looked so much like Emily Foster’s. Enough to make Alexander Carter lose his composure. I knew Alexander Carter’s habits. Every Friday afternoon, he would go to a teahouse in the west of the city. It was the place he and his first love used to love going to. How devoted. I timed it perfectly and walked into the teahouse. I chose a seat by the window and ordered the most ordinary green tea. Before long, Alexander Carter’s figure appeared. He was wearing a well-tailored black suit, handsome and dignified. He walked straight towards his usual private room. As he passed by me, his footsteps faltered. I could feel his gaze on me, scrutinizing and uncertain. I didn’t look up, pretending to be focused on the view outside, my fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of the cup. From the corner of my eye, I saw him standing there, looking at me for a full half minute. Then he continued towards the private room, though his steps seemed to have slowed.

A few days later, someone claiming to be Alexander Carter’s assistant contacted me. “Miss Foster, our Mr. Carter would like to invite you to dinner. Would that be convenient for you?” I spoke into the phone, my voice tinged with timidity and confusion. “Mr. Carter? I don’t know him…” “It’s like this – Mr. Carter saw you at the Serenity Teahouse the other day and thought you looked very similar to an old acquaintance. He’d like to get to know you.” I inwardly smirked, but outwardly agreed. “Oh, alright then.” The dinner was set at a high-end Western restaurant. Alexander Carter sat across from me, his gaze barely leaving my face. “Miss Foster, I apologize for being so forward, but you look very much like someone I know,” he began, his voice low. I lowered my head, fidgeting with the hem of my clothes, putting on an act of nervousness. “Is that so?” “Her name was Emily Foster.” He said the name slowly, watching intently for my reaction. My heart stung sharply, but my face showed only confusion. “Emily Foster? I don’t know her…” He seemed somewhat disappointed, yet also relieved. For the rest of the time, he probed indirectly about my background. I responded with half-truths and half-lies, portraying myself as Mia Foster – a girl from a poor family with a sad past. I deliberately mimicked some of Emily’s small habits, like slightly pursing my lips when drinking water, or gently biting my lower lip when thinking. These details made Alexander Carter’s gaze grow increasingly complex. Over the next few days, he frequently asked me out, sent me gifts, and took me to various high-end places. Bags, jewelry, clothes – all brands and styles that Emily used to like. The way he looked at me was sometimes gentle, sometimes dazed, as if seeing someone else through me. I knew that in his eyes, I had become another substitute. How laughable. He would never know that this new substitute he was trying to control had the soul of Emily Foster, the one he had abandoned. Once, while dining with Alexander Carter, I accidentally raised my hand to brush back my hair, revealing a bruise on my wrist that hadn’t fully faded. Alexander Carter’s gaze instantly froze. He grabbed my wrist, his face terrifyingly dark. “How did this happen?” I hurriedly pulled my hand back, lowering my head, my voice trembling. “It’s nothing, just an accident.” “Mia Foster!” He raised his voice. “Tell me, who did this?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “297081”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance